


Wait For You

by vampcoffeegyrl23



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/M, Multiple Crossovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 07:58:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3439529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampcoffeegyrl23/pseuds/vampcoffeegyrl23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angel was alive in the 1400s passing through Bulgaria where he met a young girl named Katerina. They spend a beautiful night together but Angel is gone when she awakens. Nearly 500 years later they are reunited in Mystic Falls by Katerina's doppelganger. Pairing: Katherine Pierce/Angel</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: For Those Eyes

Wait For You

Katherine/Angel

an Angel and The Vampire Diaries crossover

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership whatsoever to either of the shows or its characters mentioned.

A.N. Hmm...what to say about this fic? Well...I was watching an Angel episode with flashbacks to Angel's past and thought, hey, what if Angel had been alive in the 1400s when Katherine was alive. And then I thought, hey, what if he'd been passing through Bulgaria and he and Katherine met and spent the night together. He's gone the next morning, leaving Katherine – or rather, Katerina – to deal with the next nine months. Nearly 500 years later Angel 'just happens' to be passing through Mystic Falls and sees Elena with Stefan. What will happen when Liam and Katerina are reunited after nearly 500 years apart? Hmm...

Spoilers throughout the Angel series (not sure whether anyone from the Buffyverse will be included yet) and an alternate ending to "Dinner Party" in season 2 of The Vampire Diaries but mentions of "Daddy Issues" and "Crying Wolf" included too. Obviously, some things will change because in the series because Angel wasn't alive in the 1400s. Couples are what they are where the fic starts: Stefan/Elena...but others may form during. And Angel and Katherine? Hmm...we'll see.

Prologue: For Those Eyes

Bulgaria, 1489

She was staring idly across the market square when she caught sight of the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen in all of her fifteen years of life. Her younger sister Ilva trailed at her feet, pulling at her skirt. Ahead, her older brother Peter was trying to hurry his younger siblings along before their parents started to worry.

But those eyes . . . they captivated her and held her in place. Hers locked with his and he gave her a flirtatious smile.

"Katerina, Ilva!" Peter called. "We must hurry."

Katerina smiled at the boy with the soulful eyes, not paying attention to her brother or sister.

"Katerina!" Ilva pulled on her skirt again.

"Ilva, go on ahead. I'll be right there." Katerina spoke, still smiling at the boy. "I have forgotten something."

Her four-year-old sister nodded. The girl took the basket of bread from Katerina and ran ahead to Peter.

Her brother and sister already forgotten, Katerina ran back toward the market square to where the beautiful-eyed boy was sitting on a stool. He smiled as Katerina came to stand next to him.

"Hello . . ." She smiled, curtsying. "Is it all right if I stand here with you, sir?"

The boy nodded, dropping the apple he'd been eating in the basket on the ground. "Better yet, lass, I will give you the stool and I will stand." He stood, gesturing for her to have a seat. Katerina nodded, holding her skirt as she sat down on the seat.

"What is your name, lass?" The boy asked, sitting down on the ground beside her.

"Katerina Petrova," she told him.

He reached out and picked up her hand. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Katerina. I am Liam O'Connor." He kissed her hand.

"O 'Connor," Katerina raised an eyebrow. "You are not from Bulgaria."

"I am not," Liam nodded. "Galway, Ireland. I am here meeting an acquaintance of my father's."

"Lucky for me," Katerina smiled.

"You have the most beautiful smile . . ." Liam observed, staring into her eyes. Katerina's smile deepened and she blushed under his gaze. "Are you expected anywhere?"

"No," Katerina shook her head, lying. She knew it was wrong to disobey her parents – who never allowed her anywhere alone with anyone not family and especially not past dark – but Liam's company seemed far too important to bypass.

Liam smiled, "Would you allow me to take you somewhere? I discovered it last night and I would like to share it with someone . . . with you."

"That would be lovely," Katerina nodded.

Liam stood, holding out his arm. Katerina gathered her skirt and rose to her feet. She lay her hand on his bicep and allowed him to lead her through the square.

As they walked, Katerina's heart was pounding. She felt an unexplainable connection to this boy she had just met. Surely she'd noticed other boys in the village, but Liam was different. He stirred her heart like no one had been able to before. Her stomach tingled with nerves and excitement.

They reached the end of the village – the beginning of the forest. Katerina leaned her back on Liam's shoulder as they continued deeper into the forest. Liam's arm wound around her waist.

She heard the sound of rushing water and soon through the trees she could see a small creek. At the foot of the creek was a small waterfall and atop that more creek. The sun shined, glistening off the water. Trees surrounded the entire area, enclosing it from the rest of the world.

"It's beautiful," Katerina breathed. She'd never seen this place before.

"Just like you," Liam kissed the top of her head. He let go of her waist, shrugging off his cloak. He set it on the grass at the edge of the creek. "Sit with me, Katerina?"

She nodded. "I would love to, Liam." He helped her gather her skirt and the two sat on the grass on his cloak. Katerina sat between his legs and leaned against his chest. "I feel so comfortable and so safe with you. And I don't even know you."

He wrapped his arms around her, "I want to you know, Katerina. Tell me everything."

And . . . she did.

She told him about her younger sister Ilva and her seventeen-year-old brother Peter and his sixteen-year-old fiancé Olga. She told him about the sister between her and Peter and the two brothers between her and Ilva their parents had lost to miscarriage and stillbirth. She told him about her kind-hearted mama and strict papa and her uncles and aunts and cousins. She told him about her puppy, Satchel, and their adventures in the forest. Liam was quiet the entire time, just listening.

When she was finished, she asked him to tell her about him. He said he was seventeen years old. He told her about his younger nine-year-old sister Katherine and his soft-spoken mother and his bastard of a father. He told her about his best friend Daniel and his horse, Sprout. He explained what his father's business was and how he, Liam, was expected to take it over in a few years but that was the last thing he wanted to do.

As he spoke, Katerina found his Irish accent and his brown eyes to be intoxicating. She leaned in closer to him, shivering from the cold. He wrapped his arms tighter around her to keep her warm. His arms felt comforting around her and the cold went away.

Liam then told her how he wished he could run away from home and never return. "I hate my father's work. I would much rather spend my days traveling from city to city, country to country. I wouldn't set up roots anywhere, just live on the go."

Katerina became entranced by his words and subconsciously imagined a nomadic lifestyle for Liam and her together. They would travel the world together trying new things, seeing new places.

Liam sighed, "But I'll never be able to . . ."

With his words, Katerina's dreams for them disappeared.. It was also then that she knew she was doomed because she was in love with him. She'd only known him for half a day and yet she knew she was in love with him. And she didn't know how but somehow she just knew that once he left her side she would never see him again.

As she stared down at his arms around her she was overwhelmed with the urge to kiss him and show him exactly how she felt about him. She turned her upper body and her lips collided with his. She leaned into his embrace as he started to untie the strings of her dress. He flipped them over so she lay on the ground on his cloak, their lips never parting.

Liam pulled back, just staring into her eyes. She panted, staring back up at him. He spoke softly, stroking her cheek. "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on."

Katerina's heart swelled as he continued to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. A warmth spread through her entire body and she pulled him down by his lapels, once again capturing his lips with hers.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Katerina's eyes fluttered open and she smiled, reaching out but was disappointed to only find air. Panic registered and she shot up, holding the material of Liam's cloak over her bare skin. A draft breezed over her bare skin and her eyes scanned the area around her.

She was alone. Liam was nowhere in sight. Then she noticed a piece of parchment on the ground beside her. A tear slid down her cheek as she picked up the parchment:

My dear sweet Katerina,  
I wished to bid you goodbye but you were too peaceful in your slumber to awaken. I have to be returning to Galway now, my father – ass though he is – is expecting word from his friend. I will miss you terribly, my Katerina, as long as I live. I do believe that we will meet again and I look forward to that day.  
I will always love you,  
Liam

Tears pooled in her eyes as Katerina reread the note. She tugged Liam's cloak tighter around her bare body and inhaled the fabric. His smell overwhelmed her senses and her tears multiplied. She'd found the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The only problem was that she would never see him again.

She rose to her feet and gathered her clothing, slowly dressing. Once dressed she picked up Liam's cloak and held it secure in her arms. She dejectedly started the long walk home, memories from the night before flashing in her mind. Every touch, every kiss . . . all of it.

Tears were present the entire walk . . .

. . . and continued for many miserable months.

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 1: Lingering

A.N. Oh...just a note that everything in the Buffy/Angel verse is the same except for the small detail of Angel being turning in the late 1400s. All will be explained on that in the next couple of chapters. This chapter includes some scenes that we saw in the Vampire Diaries episode "Katerina". I don't speak Bulgarian and internet translations are never accurate enough...so just pretend. :)

Chapter One: Lingering

Three weeks later Katerina was on her hands and knees on the kitchen floor scrubbing endlessly with a soapy sponge.

Since coming home that morning after leaving her brother and sister at the market, Katerina had been living the chore life of punishment. No one knew about Liam – and never would – but her parents knew she disobeyed by staying out all night. For that she'd been doomed to chores of cooking, cleaning every inch of the house, taking care of all the animals, taking care of Ilva, and many other things.

Scrubbing the floor was becoming increasingly difficult though because every five minutes the smell of the soap sent her to the nearest place to throw up.

Speaking of throwing up . . .

Nausea washed over her in waves and she ran outside, bending over the grass. She retched until felt like her stomach was completely empty.

"Katerina?"

She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and turned to look. Her father stood in the doorway, his eyes becoming angry.

"You are sick," His teeth were clenched.

"Please, Papa, may I go to bed?" Katerina begged,

"Hans?" Katerina's mother came up behind him. "What is going on?"

"Katerina is sick," Hans spat.

"Oh dear," Sofia knelt at her daughter's side, completely oblivious to her husband's anger. She helped Katerina up and let her to the room she shared with Ilva.

Hans stood in the doorway, his arms crossed. Ilva was on the bed, playing with her homemade doll. Sofia turned to her younger daughter, "Ilva, find your brother. Have him send for the doctor."

Ilva nodded, dropping her doll and running out of the room. Hans was still watching Katerina.

"Mama . . ." Katerina moaned, clutched her stomach. Sweat dripped from her forehead.

"Yes, darling," Sofia embraced her elder daughter in a loving hug.

"What is wrong with me?" Katerina whimpered.

Sofia kissed the top of her head, "I do not know, darling. The doctor will be here soon."

Over an hour later, Ilva and Peter returned with the town doctor. He was an old friend of the Petrova family. Hans, Peter, and Ilva waited in the family room while the doctor examined Katerina. Sofia had stayed with her, as per Katerina's request.

Afterward as the doctor approached him, Hans told Peter and Ilva to go outside and tend to the horses. The doctor shook his old friend's hand.

"What is wrong with the girl?" Hans inquired.

"Is Katerina betrothed?" The doctor asked.

"No," Hans shook his head, "Her brother Peter is due to be married in a few months time."

The doctor sighed, "I am afraid Katerina is with child."

Hans was fuming but he kept calm. "Thank you, doctor. I trust you will not tell anyone?"

"Your family is a good friend," The doctor nodded. "I will let you handle this as you see fit."

"Thank you," Hans said again, shaking the doctor's hand. The doctor left and as soon as he was gone, Hans's face turned red and he hurried into his daughter's room.

Katerina jumped, startled as he entered the room. Sofia wiped her forehead with a cool cloth. "Hans, what is wrong with her?" Sofia asked him. It appeared as if the doctor had not told them.

Hans's expression grew angry again. He'd suspected the last couple of weeks concerning his daughter's condition but had been trying to deny it. He'd watched the other women in his life – his mother, his wife, his sister and aunts – go through this all too many times not to see it. They'd all been married though. He kept his voice calm. "Katerina has disgraced the Petrova name."

Sofia and Katerina grew panicked looks on their faces. They both knew the only ways to disgrace a family name: To kill a family member, to bed the spouse of another family member, or for a woman to bed a man before she is married.

"Papa . . ." Katerina started but Hans cut her off.

"Whore!" He spat, spitting on the floor. "You bear the child of a man who is not your husband!"

"Katerina!" Sofia gasped.

"Papa, please . . ." Katerina begged, crying.

"Who is he?" Hans shouted. "Who is this boy that has stolen my daughter's virtue?"

"Hans!" Sofia scolded him.

"Hush, Sofia!" Hans reprimanded his wife. "Who is he, Katerina!"

"I love him . . ." Katerina cried, sobbing in her mother's arms.

"WHO IS HE!" Hans yelled.

"Liam!" Katerina shouted through cries. "He's from Ireland."

"Ugh . . . an Irishman," Hans scoffed. He had a firm dislike for all things Ireland.

"I love him, Papa," Katerina begged. "And he loves me."

"And where is this Irish boy?" Hans said.

Katerina looked down, ashamed. "Back in Ireland. He was only here for a day."

"Oh dear . . ." Sofia sighed.

"I-I'll find him," Katerina said. "I-I'll find him o-or I'll send for him. We'll marry straight away. No one has to know, Papa."

Hans held up his hand. "No." His voice was firm.

"Hans . .." Sofia said.

"No," He shook his head. "This is how it will be. You will carry this bastard child, you will have it, then I will send it away." It was against the law and the church to terminate a child in the womb.

"No, please, Papa," Katerina sobbed.

"You have disgraced this family," Hans shouted. "Once the child is gone, you will leave. You are no longer part of this family."

Katerina continued to cry furiously. Sofia knew that what her husband said would come to pass and tears fell from her own eyes. She'd already lost three children before they'd even been born . . . and now she was losing another.

"You will move to the servant's quarter's," Hans continued. "You are no child of mine."

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Throughout the rest of her pregnancy, Katerina lived the life of a servant. As long as she was physically able, she cooked and cleaned and washed and tended to her former family's needs. She lived in the servants quarter's with the three other maids of the household.

Every night when she was allowed to go to bed, Katerina cried. She cried for Liam. She cried for their unborn child. She cried for herself. When she slept – which wasn't often – she dreamed that Liam came back for her and they ran away together and raised their baby. And then . . . she woke up and remembered that Liam was gone.

Sometimes her mother would sneak into the servants quarters and hold her daughter as she cried. Ilva frequently brought her treats from the house. But Peter . . . he hadn't said a word to her since before she'd been banished from the house. His fiancé Olga, though, helped her the most.

Olga was there with Katerina the first time she discovered she didn't fit into her clothes anymore. Olga was there through days of nausea and sickness. Olga also helped her work through the pain her chores weighed on her.

The day that Peter and Olga were married, Katerina was locked in her servant's room. She was tasked with mending clothes and told not come out until she was told. By this time she was seven months in, her stomach very round. She cried all that day and all that night as the town celebrated Peter's marriage.

When she was eight months in and confined to her bed, her father told her that after the child was born she would only be allowed a day's rest. Then she would leave and the only thing she would be allowed to take was the clothes on her back and a small portion of food and coins.

The rest of her pregnancy was spent crying and planning for what she would do once she left. She would find her way to Ireland and seek out Liam. Then together they would find their baby.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

One of the other maids was helping her dress after bathing when Katerina felt a sharp pain in her side. The maid went to get Hans and Sofia while Katerina stumbled into her bed.

Hours and hours later, sweat dripped down Katerina's forehead and she cried out in pain. Hans stood in the doorway. Katerina's knees were parted as her mother gently held on to her shins. The labor had been going on for several hours.

"Aaagghh!" Katerina screamed.

"A little more, dearest . . . a little more," Sofia coached her. "Push . . . a little more."

One of the maids brought a fresh blanket and set it down next to Sofia. Katerina continued to scream as she pushed. "A little more, a little more. Push!"

Katerina gripped the sides of the bed, screaming. A cry filled the air. Katerina saw a small smile grace Sofia's lips as she held up the bundle. "It's a girl."

Katerina breathed deeply, every ounce of her body in pain. "A girl." She and Liam had a daughter. "Please, mother . . . let me see her." She reached out, hoping to at least touch her daughter before she was taken away.

"Woman, don't!" Hans yelled from the door. "What are you doing?"

Sofia, torn, started carrying the newborn away from Katerina. Panic spread through Katerina as she watched her mother hand over the baby to her father.

"Let me at least hold her once . . . just once . . . at least once," Katerina begged.

"Forget it, you have disgraced this family!" Hans shouted gruffly. He left the room, taking the baby with him.

"Father, please!" She yelled after him. "No, Father . . . no! No!"

Her mother pulled her into her arms but Katerina was trying to chase after her father – despite the pain screaming in her body.

"No Katerina. It's better for her!" Sofia held her daughter back. "It's better for her."

Katerina wrapped her arms around her mother, sobbing. "No, Mother, please . .. ."

"Let her go . . . let her go, Katerina," Her mother soothed.

"Please, Mama . . ." Katerina cried.

To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 2: The Beginning of Eternity

Chapter Two: The Beginning of Eternity

A.N. Dialogue mentioned from the season 2 episode of TVD "Klaus" and scenes from Btvs episode "Becoming" mentioned.

England, 1492

Two years later, Katerina found herself in England. A runaway slave girl she'd traveled with for a bit had helped her learn English and adapt an English accent. She'd also learned an Irish accent, figuring it would be easier to get someone to help her find Liam. However, she needed to rest in England before she traveled on to Galway.

Her journey from Bulgaria to England had not been easy – especially starting only twenty-four hours after giving birth.

She found an empty cabin in the countryside and rested. When she awoke, she searched the cabin for food. She ate some and packed away the rest for later. She bathed, and found a new dress.

While searching the cabin, she came upon an invitation to a grand party in the town held by a nobleman later on that day. Intrigued, Katerina searched the cabin for an appropriate outfit. She found a beautiful dark red dress with a silver waist-tie and matching shoes. And . . . it fit perfectly. She also stumbled upon a beautiful silver necklace and matching earrings and put those on too. She even managed to put her hair up quite nicely.

She hid the food she'd packed and other things outside to be found later. Then she found a horse in the barn and took off for town.

The party was easy enough to find and it was even easier to charm her way inside. She marveled at the beauty and wealth of the party. She mingled with the guests, putting her new accent and the strange English words to practice. A couple of times she almost slipped back into Bulgarian but stopped herself.

She lied about who she was and why she left Bulgaria. She told the guests she'd left her father's home to find a suitable husband. Soon a boyish-looking man with long brown hair started to watch her and then came up to talk to her. He seemed fascinated by her which didn't surprise her – she'd been regarded back in her hometown as a beautiful and friendly young girl.

He introduced himself as Trevor. He told her the party was a birthday celebration for a nobleman who happened to be Trevor's employer. As soon as he started telling her about this nobleman she found herself anxious to meet him. Trevor looked over her shoulder and smiled, nodding.

"Sweet Katerina there is someone you must meet," Trevor told her. "Excuse me." She just nodded as he walked away. She waited patiently for him to come back. She conversed with the girl next to her, trying not to sound too new. Then the girl left and she felt a hand on her was back. "My dear."

She turned around, smiling. "Hello."

The man smiled, seemingly lost in thought. He took a deep breath. His smile reminded her of Liam . . . but he kept staring at her as if he knew her. It was very unsettling . . .

"Forgive me, you remind me of someone . . ." Elijah cleared his throat.

"Katerina," Trevor said. "May I introduce the Lord Elijah."

Katerina wondered if he was the nobleman Trevor had told her about. Elijah held out his hand and Katerina held it, bowing. "Pleasure, my Lord."

He raised her hand, "Pleasure's mine, Katerina." He softly kissed her hand. She just stared. There was something about him but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Trevor mentioned something about this being a birthday celebration," Katerina said.

Elijah released her hand, nodding. "My brother." She nodded. "Your accent . . . you are not English."

"No, my Lord," She shook her head. "I am from Bulgaria."

"Aah," He nodded. "I thought that was what I heard."

"Have you ever been, my Lord?" She asked.

"A few times," He nodded. "Lovely country."

"Yes, it is," She sighed. She turned, her hands behind her back, and started to walk forward. Trevor excused himself and Elijah turned to follow her. "So where is this mysterious host I've heard so much about."

"Fashionably late," Elijah remarked. Katerina's eyes scanned the room, hoping to find him – even though she didn't know what he looked like. "He likes to make an entrance." Elijah was looking around the room too, stopping when he looked at the stairs. "Here he is."

Katerina turned, following where Elijah was pointing. A man with long golden tresses and a chiseled face walked into the room and everyone turned to greet him. Katerina found herself entranced by him. Never before had she met anyone who commanded the attention of everyone around him so effortlessly.

And then . . . he was looking at her. A smile graced his lips as he walked toward her. Katerina found it hard to breathe in that moment – whether from the tight dress or the way he was staring at her she would never know.

"Katerina," Elijah spoke. "May I introduce to you, the Lord Niklaus."

She caught her breath for a moment, remembering her manners. She curtsied, smiling. Niklaus was still staring at her as he picked up her hand and kissed it. When his lips made contact with her skin it sent a spark shooting straight through her.

"Niklaus is the name my father gave me," He spoke. "Please. Call me Klaus."

"I am very pleased to meet you, my Lord," Katerina told him. "Trevor has told me much about you."

"He has, has he?" Klaus smirked.

"Yes," She nodded. "I do hope you'll allow me to help you celebrate your birthday."

"I have not seen you around. From where have you come, Katerina," Klaus asked her.

She did not really want to tell him of her past . . . nor her future plans. She looked down. "I am new to town, my Lord."

"Katerina is from Bulgaria," Elijah told his brother.

"Zdravei, Katerina," Klaus spoke.

Katerina giggled, "Very good." She turned to Elijah and giggled again. Both the brothers were laughing with her.

"Do you mind, brother?" Klaus said. Elijah stopped laughing. "I would like to have a moment alone with her."

"No, not at all." Elijah said. "Happy birthday, brother."

Klaus held out his arm and Katerina took hold of it, allowing him to lead her out of the room. Her heart fluttered in her chest. Klaus led her to a room with a lounge chaise and gestured for her to take a seat. She did, smoothing her skirt. He stood leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed.

"You are truly beautiful, Katerina," Klaus whispered.

"Thank you, my Lord," Katerina blushed. "Shall we not return to the party? Won't your guests be looking for you?"

"You are the only guest I am interested in, Katerina," He said. In an instant he was seated at her side, the back of his hand brushing the side of her cheek.

"Lord Elijah mentioned that I reminded him of someone," She inquired. "Do you know of who he speaks?"

Klaus chuckled, "My, my . . . you are an inquisitive child. So many questions . . ."

"I am sorry if I offend, my Lord," Katerina looked down.

"Nonsense," Klaus shook his head. "I do know of whom my brother speaks. She was a very special girl we knew long ago. You look very much like her."

"What happened to her?" Katerina asked.

"She was murdered by a greedy man who only wished to use her for his own gain," Klaus told her. "But enough about her . . . look at me, Katerina." Katerina locked eyes with his. She felt drawn in to his gaze. "Why have you come to England?"

Katerina was about to lie to him, but her lips moved of their own accord. "I was thrown out of my home by my family. I am going to Ireland to search for the man I love."

"I am the man you love, Katerina. Only me." His eyes stared into hers.

"You are the man I love. Only you," Katerina's lips betrayed her heart.

Klaus nodded, still staring in her eyes. "What do you know of curses?"

Again, Katerina's lips moved on their own. "Nothing, my Lord."

"You will never think of this man from Ireland again," Klaus still stared at her.

"Yes, my Lord." Katerina obeyed.

"You will never leave me, you believe we are now betrothed," Klaus told her.

"Yes, my Lord," Katerina obeyed again.

He moved, letting go of her gaze. Katerina blinked, her entire body feeling as if it were drained. Her heart felt empty but she didn't know why.

She turned to look at Klaus, smiling, "Darling, what were you saying? I'm sorry, I must have forgotten myself for a moment."

"It's alright, Katerina. I was just saying we should return to our guests and announce our betrothal," Klaus smiled at her, holding out his arm.

"Yes, my Lord," Katerina nodded, still smiling. She stood, reaching for his arm.

"One more thing," Klaus picked something off of a dresser. "Hold out your hand, my love."

Katerina lifted her hand and he slid a ring on her ring finger. "It's wondrous, darling. I love it."

"I knew you would," Klaus smiled. Again he held out his arm and the two returned to the party. "Excuse me, everyone." Klaus spoke and everyone was instantly quiet. "I would like to thank you all for coming to this marvelous occasion . . . and young Katerina and I would like to announce our recent engagement."

Everyone applauded, shouting 'Congratulations, my Lord!" Once the congratulations died down, Klaus led Katerina back over to Elijah. "My love, would you give my brother and I a moment?"

"Of course, my Lord," Katerina nodded, walking over to a group of young girls who instantly admired her ring.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

It was only a few weeks later when Trevor began to take a liking to his employer's new fiancé and Katerina – always left alone while Klaus was away – began to notice him as well. Trevor began to give her a special tea with some kind of herb in it. What had he called it? Vervain? It was from Trevor she discovered Klaus's true identity – an Original vampire. His purpose with her was to break an old curse using her blood as a sacrifice. Centuries earlier the curse had been cast by a shaman using the blood of a girl – Charlotte Petrova – who looked identical to Katerina. Klaus wanted to use her doppelganger blood to break the curse of the sun and the moon so it would be easier to rid the world of vampire's natural enemies – werewolves.

She also found that Klaus had the ability to make her do anything she wanted too when she didn't drink the tea that Trevor gave her. But it was also from Trevor that she learned everything there was to know about vampires and moonstones and witches and werewolves and vervain and wolfsbane and a blue stone called lapis lazuli. She was aware that Trevor loved her . . . but she couldn't love him. There was an emptiness in her heart that told her there was someone out there she was in love with . . . and it wasn't Klaus, Elijah, or Trevor.

The night she took the moonstone (nearly six months after meeting Klaus) she escaped as per the plan she and Trevor had discussed. Not even a week later, she used Trevor and his friend Rose to turn herself into a vampire.

She knew Klaus would be furious but she didn't want to be killed in the sacrifice.

Her first destination after becoming a vampire was back to her home in Bulgaria. When she got there, however, she discovered that her entire family – even her brother's wife's family – were dead. She cried and cried and cried over her mother's corpse.

It was then that she got back the memory of Liam who Klaus had compelled her to forget. She knew she could never go looking for Liam or their baby. Klaus didn't even know about her child. She would make sure that he never would. And by not seeking out Liam, she would keep him safe as well. She would spend her eternity running from Klaus and making sure he never hurt her again.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Galway, Ireland 1492

Well over two years after leaving Katerina, Liam was finally able to return to her. He'd wanted to sooner but his father had him learning about his merchant business.

When he arrived in the small town that he'd met Katerina, he asked everyone he could about her. After asking many people he came upon a doctor who said he'd known the Petrova family well.

"Where do they live?" Liam asked the doctor. "I wish to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage."

The doctor's eyes softened and he lay a hand on Liam's shoulder. "I am sorry, son. The Petrova family is no more. They all were attacked and murdered in their own home."

"Katerina . . ." Liam's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I am so very sorry," The doctor said. "They never found young Katerina Petrova's body but they assumed she, too, is dead."

The doctor walked away, leaving Liam to his grief. The woman that he loved was dead.

His legs stiffly carried him to the falls edge where he and Katerina had spent their one and only night together. He sat on the edge of the water where they'd made love.

He would go home without a fiancé. He would deny his birthright to take over his father's business. He would never love a woman as he had loved his Katerina.

When he returned to Ireland, he betrayed everything he'd ever been taught growing up. He ignored his work. He indulged often in booze and women. He defied his father.

Two miserable years after returning home, he and Danny stumbled out of a pub – drunk. Danny passed out right in the middle of the street. Liam continued in search of more money when he caught sight of a beautiful woman in the distance. She was dressed like one of the nobility, her golden hair in curls.

She stared at him, smiling, beckoning him to follow her into the dark alleyway. Enticed by her, he did follow her. He offered to chase away her lonliness by comforting her through the night. She said she was from around – everywhere. His drunken tongue confessed his desire to travel the world and she promised to show him things he'd never seen.

The next thing he knew he woke up in his own grave. The woman from the alley – Darla, as she introduced herself – told him all about his new nature and the eternity they were going to have together as vampires. She helped him kill his family, taught him to be a vampire, even developed a new name for him – Angelus.

And together Angelus and Darla spent the next several centuries ripping through the European – and sometimes Asian – countryside.

To Be Continued


	4. Chapter 3: Chasing Ghosts

Chapter Three: Chasing Ghosts

A.N. So...here's the update. Hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think. 

Nearly 500 years later . . . 2010

Angel sat on a box in the alley just north of the ruins of the Hyperion Hotel. It was six years today that he'd stood in the rain in this alleyway with Spike, Gunn, and Illyria as they fought Wolfram & Hart's army of demons and other creatures.

Gunn and Illyria were dead – neither had lasted very long in the fight. Of course, Wesley was dead even before the alley fight had begun. Angel and Spike toughed it out – barely. Wolfram & Hart was gone for good.

Of course afterward Spike had gone in search of Buffy. Angel hadn't even fought him on it. Or followed him. What he'd had with Buffy was long over. Last he'd heard, Buffy and Spike – along with the other Scoobies – were running Watcher/Slayer schools all over the U.S. and Europe.

Angel mostly kept to himself these days. He'd lost everyone he'd ever cared about and he didn't want to go through that again. So . . . he traveled the country, helping the helpless, stopping apocalypses when he came to them. Every year on this day though, he'd come back to the alley north of the Hyperion and reflect.

Tonight was no exception.

As the moon shone overhead, Angel found himself thinking about someone he had not thought of in centuries.

His Katerina.

She was long dead and he'd only spent a night with her when he was nineteen. . . but she haunted his thoughts more and more.

If he had arrived sooner to Bulgaria could he have saved her? No, he should have never left her at all. He should have waited until she woke up, proposed, and brought her back to Ireland with him.

He ran his hands through his spiked hair and decided it was time to pay a visit to the falls in Bulgaria where they'd spent the night together. He figured a boat would be easier to hide from the sun than a plane.

He got into his old GTX convertible and started traveling toward the East Coast. He traveled at night, slept during the day. He made relatively good time, arriving in Virginia three nights later. He looked at the moon which was starting to descend in the sky. He stopped in a small town called Mystic Falls to sleep for the day.

He paid for a motel room for two nights. With a few hours left until sunrise, he decided to hit the local bar for a couple of drinks. He pulled his car up to the Mystic Grill right around one in the morning.

Going in, he sat at the bar and ordered a strong drink. It was relatively quiet with just a few patrons left. Nothing out of the ordinary. The bartender set a glass in front of Angel and Angel nodded in thanks. The bartender walked away and Angel was about to take a drink – He heard two people walk into the bar. Instantly, his senses went on alert:

One of the two people was a vampire.

Angel downed his drink in one gulp. He didn't turn around. The human with the vampire wasn't giving off any fear. He tuned his ear to listen to their conversation:

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather go to the Boarding House?"

"No . . .Damon'll be there. Right now I just want it to be you and me. No Damon, no John. Just us."

The second voice – the female, the non-vampire. It was so familiar.

"Okay."

Angel nonchalantly turned around to sneak a peak at the duo . . . and nearly dropped in his seat. The girl looked identical to Katerina and for a moment Angel thought he was back in Bulgaria in the 1400s. How could this human girl look exactly like someone who died 500 years ago? It both intrigued and confused him. And it didn't appear as if the vampire wanted to attack his human companion at all.

Actually, they appeared to be a normal human couple – sitting in a booth, the girl leaning her back against the boy's chest. The boy's arms were wrapped around her shoulders and he kissed the top of her chestnut hair.

Seeing the two of them put images of the night he'd spent with Katerina in his mind. He'd held her just like that all night.

Shaking his head, he put the images away. No sense thinking about something five hundred years in the past. Katerina was long dead. The bartender walked by and Angel ordered another drink. It had to just be a coincidence that this human girl looked so much alike to his long-lost love.

The bartender put Angel's second drink down in front of him. Angel's sensitive ears picked up more conversation between the human girl and her vampire companion.

"Can you promise me something, Stefan?" the girl said.

"What's that?"The vampire, Stefan, said.

"Promise me that no matter what happens, we won't let it get between us again."The girl said. Angel frowned when he heard her sniffle.

"Hey," Stefan said. "Look at me." The girl shifted. "I promise you, Elena, that no matter what happens I will never stop loving you and I will never let anyone hurt you."

"Even my birth parents?" The girl – Elena – said.

"Especially them," Stefan said.

Angel was confused by this vampire's actions. He only knew of a few vampires who opposed their nature – himself included. And that was usually because of some extreme circumstance – a soul, for example. Or a government-issue electronic microchip. Actually, he'd never met any normal vampire who displayed behavior like the one in this restaurant tonight.

Unless they did it as an act to get their 'companion' to relax so they were easier to attack.

Angel decided he'd stick around these two to make sure the girl was safe. She looked like Katerina and he couldn't just let a vampire kill or. Or worse – turn her. He didn't think he could stomach to see this girl, Elena, dead.

His mind would go to too many questions . . .was that how Katerina had died? Or . . . did she suffer? Or . . . did she think of him as she died?

A few hours later he heard Stefan ask the waiter for a check. Figuring that was his cue, Angel threw a couple of dollars on the bar and finished his drink. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Stefan picked up a sleeping Elena and carry her out the door.

A few seconds after they left, Angel followed them out the door. He pretended to be a stumbling drunk in case Stefan noticed him. Stefan opened the door to the classic red porsche and set Elena in the passenger seat. He even put her seatbelt on. Then Stefan got in on the otherside and drove off.

Angel jumped into his own car and followed the red car. He hung back as the car pulled up in the driveway of a normal looking house.

Stefan got out of the car and went to the other side. Elena was partially awake and Stefan guided the girl – one of his hands loose around her waist – up to the house. She handed her keys over to Stefan who unlocked and opened the door and . . . the two of them went in.

Angel raised an eyebrow. The vampire had been invited in. He tuned his ear and heard four other heartbeats besides Elena's. The girl was knowingly letting a vampire enter her house that was full of people Angel assumed to be her family – while she was half-asleep no less.

Angel didn't know what to believe. His ears heard Stefan and Elena whisper to each other.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Stefan whispered. "Or the offer still stands to come back to the Boarding House."

Elena sighed."Yeah . . . John might do something he'll regret. And Jenna usually doesn't care if you spend the night but its going to be a rough morning the way it is with John."

"Point taken," Stefan said.

"Ugh . . . but I wish you could. I could really use some boyfriend-snuggle time," Elena said. "And we still have lots of time to make up for . . ."

"Yes, we do ," Stefan said, sighing.

"See you tomorrow?" Elena said.

"Definitely," Stefan said. "Love you."

"Love you too," Elena said.

Back outside, Angel drove off. He was confused by Stefan's restraint but also convinced there would be no vampire attacks that night. He went back to the hotel, making it inside the room just minutes before the sun rose.

While he slept he dreamt of his Katerina – of their last night together. He held Katerina in his arms, watching her sleep. The sun would be up soon and he needed to leave. His father would be expecting him as soon as possible. He wanted to say goodbye to her . . . but she was so peaceful when she slept.

But . . . when he looked down Katerina was wearing different clothes. Strange clothes . . . a worn black dress – which was very short and very modern looking. She was covered in dirt and her skin was decayed. Around her neck was a necklace with a blue stone and a silver-shaped cameo head. Then it was as if he were watching her from a distance. She was lying on the ground, her head resting awkwardly against the stone of the tomb around her.

Angel awoke with a start, sitting up on the uncomfortable hotel bed. He panted though his heart did not beat. He glanced over at the clock on the bedside table – 6:39 pm. The sun was long gone for the day. He needed to investigate this town, make sure ther weren't any other vampire in town.

He shrugged on his duster, grabbing his car keys. He opened the door and jumped in his car, starting the engine.

His first step was city hall. He needed a little bit of information on this town. Maybe it would lead him to the girl who looked like Katerina. Maybe it would help him figure out why there were vampire in town.

He parked his car in the city hall parking lot and jumped out. He walked up to the door and went in. As soon as he was inside the lobby one of his questions was answered.

Around the waiting area were large portraits of five different families. He scanned the names – Lockwood, Fell, Salvatore, Forbes, Gilbert . . .

And there she was in the Gilbert portrait with Grayson, John, Miranda, and Jeremy. So that was her name . . . Elena Gilbert. He wondered who the families were pictures of them in City Hall. Angel walked up to the desk.

"Can I help you?" The secretary behind the desk said to him, eyeing him up and down.

"Yes . . ." Angel said. "I'm new in town and I was just wondering . . ." He turned and pointed to the portraits. "Who are these families on the wall?"

"Oh," The secretary chuckled a little. "Those are the Founding Families. Their ancestors came over on the Mayflower and founded Mystic Falls back in 1860. To this day those families run this town and preserve the history."

"Really," Angel said.

"Very much so," The secretary nodded. "Mr. Lockwood was the mayor before he died and now his wife is the active mayor. Mrs. Forbes is the sherriff and her daughter helps with all the committees in town. The Fells have always run the news station. Now the Salvatores have disappeared in and out over the last hundred yers . . . but now Zach's nephews are in town. The older one helps Mayor Lockwood and Sherriff Forbes on occasion with town businesss. The younger one's still in school."

"What about the Gilbert's?" Angel said.

The secretary's face turned grim. "Such a tragic family. A few months back Dr. Gilbert and his wife Miranda and their daughter Elena were in a terrible car accident. The daughter was okay but her parents didn't make it. Miranda's sister takes care of Elena and her brother now."

"Who's the other guy in the picture?" Angel said.

"That's Dr. Gilbert's younger brother, John. He just returned to town a couple of days ago. He's always been in and out over the years. You know, I think the younger Salvatore is dating the Gilbert girl."

"Thank you for the information," Angel said.

"You're very welcome. I hope you like it in Mystic Falls," the secretary smiled.

"I'm sure I will," Angel turned to walk out. He got all the information he needed. He got into his car and drove off.

The girl that looked like Katerina was a Gilbert. It just didn't seem possible. Katerina's entire family had been murdered, including Katerina herself. Although . . . they'd never found her body. Had she escaped and lived on? It angered Angel to think of her marrying another man and bearing his children and grandchildren and so on.

But . . . as much as he was angry at the thought, it overjoyed him to think of her happy and living a full life. He just wondered how her descendants came to be in Virginia.

As he pulled out of the city hall parking lot, he saw a blue classic car tear out of the Mystic Grill parking lot and drive off. Intrigued, Angel followed the car out of town and into the woods. The blue car stopped in a clearing and a man got out.

Correction . . . vampire.

Angel could smell it from where he was. The vampire was tall with dark hair. He wore blue jeans and a dark denim jacket. From what Angel could tell he was about 150 or more years old.

The vampire stalked through the woods. Angel hung back far enough so the other vampire wouldn't know he was there.

Angel raised his eyebrow as the vampire walked up to the other people – one vampire and many other werewolves.

". . . Tyler's free to make his own decisions . . . as soon as you release Caroline." Angel recognized the voice of Elena's boyfriend, Stefan Salvatore.

"My brother, the peacemaker." The dark haired vampire Angel had followed walked up to the group. "Since Stefan got here first I'm going to let him try it his way before I resort to my my way. Which . . . is a little bloodier. So . . . give us Caroline."

Not wanting to intervene, Angel took off. He now knew that both Stefan and his brother were vampires, there were werewolves in town, and neither got along with the other.

He left the woods, hopped in his car, and headed to the cemetery to do a bit of patrolling before the sun came up. While in the cemetery he found the graves of Grayson and Miranda Gilbert.

On his way back to the hotel, he saw someone familiar: it was John Gilbert – Elena's uncle from the Gilbert portrait in City Hall. John was walking throught the forest with a flashlight in his hand. He walked down a set of stone steps near the ruins of what looked like an old stone church.

Curious, Angel waited a moment before following him down the steps. He stopped just out of sight.

". . . I know you're expecting someone else." John was saying. Who was he talking to though?

"I sent Stefan to find Isobel," It sounded like Elena. Why was Elena meeting her uncle in an old underground tomb? And who was Isobel?

"She got your message," John said. "She's busy so she sent me instead."

"Does Stefan know that you're here right now?" Elena said.

"No," John said. "No one does. This is between you, me, and Isobel."

"I want out of this tomb, John."

"I'm already on it."

Angel hid behind a rock as John left back up the stairs and back to his car. Expecting Elena to walk out too, Angel wanted to leave until she did.

No one did, though. In fact, there was something off about Elena's scent.

"Whoever is there . . . I can smell you . . ." Elena shouted.

Had Angel missed somethinig when he'd seen her earlier? Was Elena Gilbert a vampire too?

"I'm talking, here. And not just to myself," Elena shouted.

Figuring the game was up, Angel stepped into view . . . Elena was dressed in the same outfit – black dress, blue necklace, bare feet – that he'd dreamt about. Even the dirt. What was that about? She stood at the entrance to the tomb, holding on to the wall.

When they locked eyes, she held her breath. "Liam . . ." She whispered.

It was then that Angel knew she couldn't be Elena.

To Be Continued . . .


	5. Chapter 4: Not Possible

Chapter Four: Not Possible

"I'm talking, here. And not just to myself," Elena shouted.

Figuring the game was up, Angel stepped into view . . . Elena was dressed in the same outfit – black dress, blue necklace, bare feet – that he'd dreamt about. Even the dirt. What was that about? She stood at the entrance to the tomb, holding on to the wall.

When they locked eyes, she held her breath. "Liam . . ." She whispered.

It was then that Angel knew she couldn't be Elena. He could't move. How . . .

"But . . ." She was still staring at him.

Angel was at a loss. It wasn't possible. The doctor all those years ago in Bulgaria told him her and her family had been murdered.

But then those eyes he'd dreamt about for years hardened into an unrecognizable angry stare. "Damnit, Damon get out of my mind! How are you even doing this . . . I'm awake..."

"Katerina?" Angel spoke, his old Irish accent slipping through.

Katerina pounded on an invisible wall in front of her, ignoring Angel's presence. "Stop it, Damon. O-Or Stefan. Whichever. Just stop. Isobel?"

"Katerina?" Angel said again, walking up to her. She didn't move. When he was close enough, he lifted his hand. His fingers made contact with the skin of her cheek, trailing her jawline. Her skin was cold, dirty, and beginning to rot. But she was still beautiful . . .

On contact with his finger, Katerina held her breath. He could practically hear her shivering. Finally her eyes acknowledged his. He found her gaze just as powerful as it had been all those years ago in the market.

"You're not real . . ." She gasped, still shivering.

Taken aback, Angel stepped back. He expected her to follow him but she stayed fixed to the floor just inside the tomb.

"My dear sweet Katerina . . ." Angel whispered. It tore his very soul apart – the woman he'd loved the most in his entire existence wasn't only dead, but undead. A soulless vampire lost in time. "What have they done to you . . ."

"I―" Katerina started.

In a flash, Angel activated the trigger under his sleeve and a stake landed in his grasp. He lunged forward, his face changing. Hers did, too, and she sped deeper in the dark tomb.

Angel followed after her, the stake in his hand ready to strike. He growled. "Damnit, don't make this harder!"

The monster that murdered his love disappeared in the shadows. He stopped, trying to sniff her out.

"There's something different about you, lover . . ." Her silky yet raspy voice echoed through the stone walls.

"You too. Maybe we went to the same dentist," Angel replied.

"No . . ." She echoed. "Your scent, there's something . . ." He could hear her sniff. "No . . .it's not possible."

"'Fraid it is, lover," He said.

"You still have your soul, just like him. Just like S―" Katerina cut herself off. "But how . . ."

"Not still," Angel said. "Again, sort of. It's a long story. Anyway . . . the point is that you don't. Any part of the girl I once loved is dead. So come out so I can put her body to rest."

"I'm not as dead as you think," Katerina's voice sounded, her tone dark. "Truce? I think we have a lot of catching up to do, Liam"

"Ho do I know I can trust you, Katerina?" Angel kept the stake at the ready.

And then she appeared out of the shadows in front of him, walking slowly toward him. "You don't . . ." She shrugged. Despite how weak he could tell she was, she exuded an air of confidence about her."But you can. I haven't had blood in weeks. Even if I did attack you – which I won't – you could easily overpower me."

Angel knew she was telling the truth. He'd only heard of a few cases of desiccation. Hell, he himself had nearly mummified that summer Connor and Justine dropped him to the bottom of the ocean.

Judging by her skin and voice, Katerina was just days away from completely losing control of her motor functions.

Sighing, he nodded. He dropped his arm to the side, motioning for her to sit down. She did on a nearby rock. Angel stayed standing.

"First of all, it's not Katerina. Not for centuries," She told him.

"Elena?" Angel cocked an eyebrow.

"No," She rolled her eyes. She eyed him up and down. "Just how long have you been in Mystic Falls?"

"Including today? Two days," Angel said. "I was just passing through. So what is your name these days then?"

"Katherine," She replied. Angel nodded. Did she remember him telling her about his sister? Her expression was unreadable. If she did, he couldn't tell."So . . . you still go by Liam?"

"Angel, actually," He told her.

This time it was her eyebrow that kinked. "Angel . . ." A smile graced her features as if she were thinking of something.

"Well, it was Angelus before I got my soul back," He winced, thinking of his killing days.

"Wait, the Scourge of Europe? That was you?" She grinned, amused. He nodded. "Hmm . . . I've actually heard of you. Quite impressive body count. And always so artistic in your killings . . ."

Angel sighed, sinking to the ground. Who was this girl? She was nothing like the young girl he'd made love to by the water. "How can you be a vampire? Why?"

Katerina stared at the ground. "I . . . I had no choice."

"There's always a choice," Angel sighed again.

"And what about you?" Her eyes flashed with anger. "Why didn't you choose the high road? Huh? You have no idea what I've been through the last five hundred years!"

"Feeding, killing?" Angel snarled. "Sound about right?"

"Oh shut up," Katherine spat. "Do you have any idea what I went through because of you?"

Angel raised his eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

The cold, hard expression he'd come to loathe in the last five minutes returned. "Nothing. Look, you'd be smart to get out of Mystic Falls. Things here are about to get really dangerous."

"Why, what are you going to do?" Angel said.

"I'm not going to do anything. In case you haven't noticed, I'm stuck here. Compelled by an Original to stay put," She huffed.

Angel didn't say anything. He'd heard of other kinds of vampires besides himself who had mind control abilities but he'd never come across any. He wondered why Katherine had been compelled to stay in a tomb.

It was then that he rememered the human girl who looked like Katherine.

"Who's Elena Gilbert?" Angel said. "Why does she look like you?"

Katherine rolled her eyes. "So I take it that's another reason you're here." She raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're not in love with her are you?"

Angel was caught off guard by that. "Why, jealous?"

"She's my descendant, Liam." Katherine told him. "Technically, the term is doppelganger but whatever."

"Descendant?" Angel repeated. "You mean―"

"Yes," Katherine rolled her eyes. "I had a baby before I turned. She was born on March fourteenth . . . in 1490."

"Wait, that was―"

"Nine months after we met?" Katheirne smirked. "Exactly."

"I―you . . . we . . ." Angel stumbled.

"Yes," Katherine stood, disappearing into the shadows. "Now if you don't mind, I have an eternity of dessication to get back to."

Angel didn't know what else to say, so he left.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

For the next three days, Angel layed low in his hotel room. He didn't know what his next move was going to be. He needed to know more though. Why was Katerina a vampire? Why had she never found him and told him they had a child together? Why was she in Mystic Falls? Why was she stuck in a tomb? Why did their descendant look identical to her?

What the hell was a doppelganger?

He decided it was time to confront the brother-vampires and Elena Gilbert. Find out what they know about Katherine.

Once the sun set, Angel got in his car and headed back to the tomb where he'd found Katherine question her about where the brothers and Elena were. Well, first he made a stop at the butchershop and bought a pack of pig's blood. Then he went to the tomb. As he descended the stairs, he saw a figure run past him at inhuman speed. He could tell by the scent that it was Katherine.

Dropping the pig's blood on the ground, he followed after her on foot. He'd get his car later. He followed her to a large house on the other side of the woods.

She didn't hesitate to enter the building and Angel followed her inside. Just in the door she stopped, disappearing. Angel turned to look for her. She was gone.

Then he was shoved into a wall with a growling Katherine in his face. Her teeth were bared and her eyes were red.

"What are you doing here?" She growled.

"Following you," Angel pushed her off of him, his voice casual. She fell backwards into a table but bounced back on her feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Showering," Katherine shrugged, guesturing to her dirty skin and even dirtier hair.

"And?" Angel said.

"I thought I told you to leave town," Katherine shot back. "Trust me, you don't want to be here."

"Then why don't you just leave?" Angel countered. "Better yet, why don't you want me here?" He looked around the elaborate house. "Boyfriend? Let me guess, he gets jealous easily. Hmm . . . wonder what he'd say if he knew we have a kid together."

"Had," Katherine corrected. "It's been five hundred years. My daughter is long dead."

"Our daughter," Angel snarled. "Just tell me if I'm right. Jealous boyfriend, right? Hmm . . . girlfriend?"

Katherine scoffed. "Neither."

"So what is it?" Angel said.

"Look, it's complicated. Okay?" Katherine said. Her ears perked, listening to something far off. "If you want to stay, fine. I can't stop you. Just don't say I didn't warn you. Meanwhile, I'm going to take a shower." With that, she dashed up the stairs.

Angel looked around the room again. No family portraits or photos. No modern electronics such as a television or telephone.

And then his ears perked up and he heard the sound of a car outside. He heard a human heartbeat and smelled the scent of vampires. Two vampires? He couldn't quite tell.

Angel looked around. There was no way he could get out of there before the vampires and human reached the door. His body tensed as the door opened.

"Who are you?"

It was – judging by the heartbeat – Elena Gilbert. His and Katerina's descendant. The great – great whatever grandchild of his child. She stopped in the doorway, staring at him, her jaw dropped. She was clutching her stomach which had a large bloodstain on her shirt.

"Elena, what's―"

A figure rushed at Angel from behind Elena. Angel dodged to the side. He was rushed at again but this time he grabbed the vampire by the throat.

"Stefan!" Elena, worried, cried out. Stefan struggled in Angel's grasp.

"You might wanna calm down," Angel stared Stefan in the face. "I have at least four hundred years on you, boy."

"E-Elena, run!" Stefan choked out.

"No," Angel warned her. "Stay put. No one is going to get hurt."

Another figure rushed past Elena toward Angel but Angel punched outward. The second vampire fell to the ground, holding his nose.

"Everyone calm down," Angel said. The second vampire stood up, backing up, standing in front of Elena.

"Who the hell are you?" The second vampire – Angel now recognized him to be Stefan's brother from the woods the other day.

"Please, let him go . . ." Elena's voice cracked.

"Damon, get her out of here," Stefan choked. Damon backed up more toward Elena, holding out his arm in front of her.

"My, my . . . you started the party without me . . ."

All four of them turned toward the stairs as Katherine walked down wearing nothing but a towel.

"How did you get out?" Damon sneered.

"Little thing about Originals . . . once they die, their compulsion wears off." Katherine smirked. "So . . . when you guys killed Elijah . . ." She eyed Elean's bloodstained shirt. "Hmm . . . so it was you, huh?"  
"Tell your boyfriend to let mine go!" Elena shouted.

"Not my boyfriend," Katherine said.

"Whatever," Damon rolled his eyes.

"Let him go!" Elena pleaded.

"Liam, sweetie, you can let him go," Katherine yawned. "Neither of them are even 200 yet. They're practically newborns."

Angel shrugged, loosening his hold on Stefan's neck and in an instant Elena was at his side.

"Damon, Stefan, . . . Elena . . . meet Liam. Or, Angel, I suppose," Katherine sighed.

"New boytoy?" Elena said.

"Hardly," Katherine sighed. "More like . . . old boytoy. You should have some respect, though, Elena. He's just as much your blood as I am."

Elena's eyes widened. "B-blood?"

"Yep," Katherine smiled.

"You have Petrova blood," Damon guessed.

"Not exactly," Angel shook his head, "O'Connor blood."

Elena, Stefan, and Damon turned to Katherine, confused. Katherine smiled again, stepping off the last stair. "Didn't you ever wonder about your paternal blood heritage?"

"J-John?" Elena said.

"Hell no," Katherine scoffed, sighing as she made her way across the room. Angel couldn't help but notice how attentive Damon, Stefan, and even Elena were to Katherine's actions as if she would attack them. Which, he figured wasn't out of character for her. She nodded at Angel. "He's the one who knocked me up back in the 1400s."

Elena's eyes widened more. "The father of your child was a vampire?" Elena scrunched her face. Katherine scoffed.

"Not when I met her," Angel said. "It was after."

"Oh," Elena nodded.

"Why are you here?" Damon said.

Angel ignored him, turning to Katherine. "Who are these guys?"

Before Katherine could answer, Damon smirked. "Her other old boytoys." Stefan and Elena rolled their eyes.

Katherine adjusted the towel as she sat down on the couch. "So . . . Angel. Please, tell us why you are here. I'm curious."

"Honestly, I was just passing through." Angel said.

"Yeah right," Damon said.

"I was," Angel shrugged. "I stopped at the bar in town for a drink and saw you two." He said to Stefan and Elena. "It threw me off. I was seeing the face of someone I thought long dead. So . . . I followed you. I watched you take her home when she fell asleep. I wanted to make sure you wouldn't hurt her."

"I would never hurt her," Stefan shook his head, his arm wrapped around Elena's waist.

"Well . . . I know that now," Angel shrugged.

"Angel, darling," Katherine said. It was eerie how much she reminded him of Darla in that moment. "Would you care to explain where you got that shiny soul of yours?"

Damon, Stefan, and Elena didn't say anything. Katherine smirked, adjusting the towel again.

Angel cleared his throat, "It's a long story." His lip curled as he remembered when he first met Doyle. Katherine waited expectantly but Angel shook his head. "It's not important."

"A soul?" Damon scoffed. "How lame is that?"

"Hmm . . . don't you guys know that Stefan still has his?"

"Wait, what?" Elena, Damon, and Stefan's mouths dropped.

"Vampires don't have souls," Damon rolled his eyes. "I think all that time underground messed with your head, honey."

"Stefan . . ." Elena turned to her boyfriend.

"145 years as vampires and you guys didn't figure this out?" Katherine sighed. "When you become a vampire and your body dies, your soul dies. It leaves, goes wherever. Your morals get stripped. h

"But . . ." Stefan started.

"Emily," Katherine shrugged. "She found a way to keep your soul tied to your body when you were in transition."

"And why would she do that?" Damon said.

"Because I asked her to," Katherine's expression harded. "I didn't want you to become what I was."

Angel observed this with curiousity. It seemed that Katherine cared for – if not loved – Stefan.

Damon sighed. "As fun as this little reunion has been, we were kinda in the middle of something." Damon was glancing back and forth between Stefan and Elena.

"Right," Stefan said. Elena nodded.

"Let me guess, Elijah's body?" Katherine said. "Don't mind us. I meant what I said, Damon."

"You can't be trusted," Damon said. He turned to Angel. "Neither can you."

"I didn't run. I'm still here," Katherine said. "I want Klaus dead just as much as you do. More, even."

"Who's Klaus?" Angel said. All others present rolled their eyes.

"It's another long story," Katherine sighed. "So how about it?" She looked at Elena. "Wanna land me some clothes and we can chat? Besides, you could use a blood-less shirt anyway." Elena's face wrinkled in disgust. "Well, it's either that or I'll just stay in Stefan's towel." She inhaled the scent from the towel – Stefan's scent – smiling. Stefan glared. "Hmm . . . or I guess I could borrow Stefan's clothes . . ." Her gaze was on Stefan. "Remember all those mornings when I would wear nothing but your shirt?" Stefan sighed, rolling his eyes. Katherine smirked. "Worked every time for a little morning―"

"That's enough," Elena – though human – practically growled.

"Is this how you're trying to convince us to let you stay?" Damon shook his head, walking out the door. "Stefan, let's get Elijah downstairs." Stefan sent a silent glare at Katherine before following his brother outside.

Katherine stood up, dropping the towel to the ground. Angel and Elena's eyes widened, both looking away.

"What?" Katherine said, "It's not like either of you has seen it anyway." The five-hundred year old vampire casually strolled up the stairs. Elena rolled her eyes and followed her ancestor up the stairs, leaving her other ancestor standing in the living room.

Angel sighed, headed outside to help Damon and Stefan.

To Be Continued . . .


	6. Chapter 5: Find You

Chapter Five: Find You

Meanwhile . . . outside of Mystic Falls . . .

"And you're certain Katerina is still in Mystic Falls?"

"Yes," Isobel answered automatically, holding her phone to her ear. "She's out of the tomb but I believe she'll stay close to the Salvatore brothers."

"And the doppelganger?"

"She won't be far from the Salvatores' either," Isobel sighed.

"Moonstone?"

"I can get it," Isobel assured him.

"And Liam?"

"He's been sighted in Mystic Falls as well," Isobel said.

"Good."

"I'm on my way now," Isobel told him. "I'll be in Mystic Falls by this evening."

"I won't be far behind."

"Is that it, then?" Isobel referred to their earlier conversations.

"Just one more thing . . . we need a body. Human, male, alive. Not a lanky teenager."

Isobel sighed, nodding even though she was on the phone. "I know who you can use."

"We'll be in touch. As long as you do your part, all will be well." The line disconnected.

Isobel let out a deep breath, pocketing her phone. "Go to the Gilbert house." She told Frank in French. He nodded from the driver's seat.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Angel paced the Salvatore living room, his hands in his pockets. Katherine watched him from where she lounged on the couch, a glass of blood in her hand. She was now wearing Elena's clothes . . . a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a blue undershirt, and a blue denim shirt as well as black flats.

"We don't need her. Get her out of here . . ."

Both Katherine and Angel could hear Elena, Stefan, and Damon argue upstairs.

"Elena . . . they can hear you." Stefan said.

Angel sighed. Katherine smirked.

"I don't care!" Elena shouted.

"As annoying as the bitch is, she has information. Like . . . what Klaus looks like, for example." Damon said.

"They're right," Katherine glanced at Angel. "They need me. You . . . they'll probably try and kill you. Sometimes . . . they're a little trigger happy. Or . . . stake happy I guess you could say."

"I'd like to see them try," Angel deadpanned. Truthfully, he wasn't sure why he hadn't left yet. He did know that he felt somewhat of a responsibility to Elena. She was his descendant and he didn't want anything to happen to her. He'd already failed Connor . . . he couldn't let it happen to one of his own again.

"I would too, actually," Katherine sighed. "If what I've heard about you is true . . . you're quite the force to be reckoned with."

"Why didn't you come find me?" Angel asked her suddenly.

"I didn't know you were a vampire, remember?" Katherine told him.

"No," Angel walked over toward her. "Before that. Before you turned. You knew where I was."

"I just didn't, okay? That was how long ago . . . just forget it." Katherine shrugged. "Get over it. I did."

Something in the tone of her voice, the expression on her face, and the way her shoulders were tensed (though she probably wasn't aware she was doing that) suggested to Angel that she hadn't gotten over it at all.

He did let it go . . . for now at least. He'd get a straight answer out of her eventually.

"Whatever. I'm going to school. I've missed enough the way it is. I don't feel like getting the guilt trip from Jenna again."

Angel could hear the venom in Elena's words. It reminded him of how his little sister had been when she didn't get what she wanted.

Elena's footsteps were heavy as she descended the stairs, a bookbag on her shoulder and a jacket on. Stefan followed not long after her, a bookbag on his shoulder as well. Neither one allowed any attention to either Angel or Katherine as they hastily left the house.

"Hmm," Katherine sighed, watching the door where Stefan and Elena had left. "And people call me childish . . ."

Angel couldn't help himself as he smirked. "She must get that from you."

Katherine didn't have time to reply as Damon sped down the stairs. He stopped in the living room, looking back and forth between Angel and Katherine. "Look, I don't trust either of you. Neither do Stefan and Elena." With that, Damon went over to the boxes of books on the table in the middle of the room and started going through them.

Katherine used her speed and was next to him in a second sans the glass of blood she'd had. "Are those Jonathan Gilbert's journals?"  
Damon ignored her, mumbling to himself as he dug through the books.

Katherine reached for a book but Damon swatted her hand away. She slapped his hand back. Damon snarled, his hand around her throat as he pushed her into the wall across the room. Katherine just smiled, pushing him back off of her. Damon huffed, leaving the room, headed downstairs to what Angel thought was probably the basement where they had the dead vampire.

Angel rolled his eyes, feeling like he was watching Buffy and Spike or Darla and Spike bicker. Katherine continued to smile as she followed Damon out of the room. Angel sighed.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVD

Later in the day the four of them – Angel, Damon, Stefan, and Katherine – were scattered in the living room. All of them had their noses in one of Jonathan Gilbert's journals.

Damon was on the couch, his legs propped up on a pillow. Stefan sat on the other couch hunched over the coffee table in front of him as he read. Katherine was in a chair with her legs over the arm of the chair. Angel sat in the recliner.

The other three had filled Angel in on their problems with Klaus and Elijah (the dead vampire downstairs) and Elena and the curse of the sun and the moon. They told him of the events of 1864 and everything in the last few months they'd dealt with. They were now trying to find another way to kill Klaus (the dagger they could use was still in Elijah downstairs) so he wouldn't break the curse and kill Elena. They also told him about the witches who had been working with Elijah and Elena's witch friend.

So far in their searches through the journals none of them had found anything. After a while, Stefan took a couple of journals and disappeared upstairs. Angel saw a lot of himself in Stefan. The younger vampire was reserved and hadn't lost his humanity. Damon seemed a lot like Spike. Rash and impulsive but willing to do anything to get what he wanted.

"What?"

Angel looked up from the book he was reading. Damon was staring at Katherine who seemed annoyed with the unwanted attention. Damon shrugged. Katherine sighed, looking back down at her book.

It amazed Angel how pouty Katherine had gotten over the years. When he'd initially met her in the market he'd thought she was a rebellious, out-of-her-time girl who would do anything to get what she wanted. It just amazed him how unlike that girl she was now.

Katherine threw her book on the table and slinkily stood behind Damon, her chin on his shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Damon sighed.

"I'm bored . . ." Katherine leaned over Damon's shoulder, reading the book he had in his hands. "'Emily Bennet was taken by the council today. They kidnapped her from her home and took her to the same location her ancestors were burned a hundred years ago.' So . . . Emily was killed on the site of the massacre. Hmm . . ." Katherine reached for the book. "Does it say where?"

Damon pulled it away from her. "Nope . . ."

Katherine crossed her arms, resting her head right next to Damon. She glanced up at Angel and flashed him a flirtatious smile. It wasn't unlike the one she'd given him in the square all those years ago . . . except there was more intent behind it.

"This friendly cooperative thing?" Damon said.

"Yes," Katherine traced circles on his shoulder.

"I don't buy it," Damon pushed her hand away.

"I have no reason to lie, Damon." Katherine sighed.

"Lie!" Damon retorted. He looked back to his book.

Katherine straightened, "I'm hungry . . ."

"You're the unwanted houseguest. Feed yourself," Damon didn't look up from his book.

Angel glanced up and for a brief moment he thought he saw hurt in Katherine's eyes. But . . . then it was gone and she practically huffed out of the rom.

Damon turned to Angel. "Find anything?"

"No," Angel shook his head. "This Jonathan Gilbert was quite a character."

"Hmph, try growing up around him," Damon rolled his eyes. Angel chuckled. Then they both heard the sound of shattering wood.

"DAMON! ANGEL!"

Both vampires used their speed and raced downstairs. Katherine was slumped on the ground against a mount of dirt and rock, a stake jammed in her chest . . . but not through the heart.

"What happened?" Damon just stared. Angel pulled the stake out of her chest and she grunted. It was then that Angel noticed the dead vampire on the ground. The dagger in his heart was moving . . .

"Damon . . ." Katherine's voice was weak and she turned her head. Damon looked over at the moving dagger. Then he stood and grabbed the blow torch in the corner, firing it off near the body. Angel picked Katherine up like she was a small child. She collapsed unconscious against his chest.

Stefan appeared in the doorway. "What's going on?"

"Some kind of crazy-ass witch attack," Damon was still blowing fire around the room. "Get over there and do something about it!" Stefan was gone in a flash.

"The Martins?" Angel guessed.

"Yeah," Damon sighed.

Angel sped Katherine upstairs, laying her on the couch. Her lead lolled to the side. "Liam . . ." Her hand reached out and latched on to his arm. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she groaned in pain. She clutched her side with the hand not holding on to him. "Don't leave me again . . . we need you . . ."

Angel froze. In this moment she was Katerina, the girl he'd known for only a night centuries ago. Katherine still held on to his arm, her eyes still closed. The stake had been only inches from her heart.

"Liam . . ." Her voice was only a strained whisper.

Angel studied her face. Her body language suggested she was having nightmares.

"Liam . . ." Every time she spoke, he could hear the pain behind her words.

He remembered the first few decades after he'd gotten his soul back. The pain, the guilt . . . it had nearly destroyed him. But this . . . the pain on the face of the only girl he'd truly loved in his entire existence was unbearable. It burned, consticting his undead heart and soul. Worse than when Darla turned him away for having a soul. Worse than when Buffy stabbed the sword through him to close Acathla's vortex. Worse than watching Doyle's skin melt off his body. Worse than seeing Connor and Cordelia in bed together. Worse than watching every one of his friends die around him.

"Liam . . ." Katherine continued to call out to him, squeezing his arm so tight her nails drew blood through his shirt.

And then . . . she was limp. Her hand released his arm and fell to the side.

"She'll need blood."

Angel turned. Damon walked into the room, a blood bag in his hand.

"As much as I'd like to see the bitch suffer, I don't want her bleeding on my couch," Damon tossed the bag to Angel.

"You really hate her, don't you?" Angel observed.

"You should too," Damon shrugged. "She's a grade-a bitch who only cares about herself. That little show she just put on for you? Calling out your name? Moaning in pain? Lies. That's all she's ever been. That's all she'll ever be."

Angel looked down at her. Her face was contorted in pain.

"You think just because you spent a night with her five hundred years ago that she still loves you?" Damon scoffed. "I've got some news for you . . . she's 'spent the night' with hundreds of men. Yeah, ya knocked her up. Big deal. It's not like you were there for her or even knew about it. Hell, she'll kill you the first chance she gets."

Damon left the room leaving Angel with his words. He knew Damon was right . . . but he couldn't get the pain in her face out of his mind. He sat down on the couch next to her. He picked up her hand, rubbing her knuckles with his fingers. The pain on her face faded and she appeared to be at peace. It was eerie how dead she looked. The wound in her chest was healing but still bleeding considerably.

Her hand tensed under his and her eyes opened. She stared at him, confused. She moved to sit up but gasped and clutched her chest.

Angel handed her the blood bag. She ripped it open with her teeth and greedily downed the entire thing in seconds. Then she was staring at him.

"What are you doing?" She crinkled her eyebrow, staring at his fingers still on her knuckles.

Angel dropped her hand and stepped back, burying his hands in his. He cleared his throat. "Is it healing?"

"Yeah," Katherine shrugged. She shifted on the couch so she was sitting up. The air reeked of uncomfortableness and embarrasment.

Angel wanted to ask her about her nightmares and why she'd become a vampire but . . . Damon's words replayed in his mind.

A stake suddenly punctured Katherine's ribs – Damon had appeared out of nowhere. Katherine cried out, anger on her face. She stared Damon in the eyes. "What the hell?"

"That's for not telling me the dagger would kill me," Damon snarled, twisted the stake in her gut. She groaned, gasping as he twisted some more. "Next time it goes in your heart."

Angel considered intervening but figured Damon needed to let off some steam. Damon stepped back.

"Is that how you treat someone who's ah―" Katherine pulled the stake out and threw it down. She held on to the coffee table in front of her wincing. ". . . trying to help you?" She took a few deep breaths.

"If you wanna help . . . start talkin'" Damon said.

"I'd love to," Katherine panted, pushing off the table to rise to her feet. She stood on unsteady legs, holding her side. "But you're not gonna like it."

Damon shrugged. "Try me."

Katherine glanced at Angel, sighing. He watched her sway, certain she was about to fall over. "Fine." She sighed again. "John Gilbert and Isobel want you and Stefan out of Elena's life."

"That's old news," Damon rolled his eyes.

Angel decided to chime in, "John as in Elena's uncle? And who's Isobel?"

Katherine rolled her eyes this time. "They're Elena's birth parents. Isobel's our other descendant."

"Oh," Angel said.

"What's new is that they offered me a deal," Katherine told Damon. "John knew that killing Elijah would get me out of the tomb so . . . he gave me a choice. Either I stay and help with Klaus or he kills Stefan."

"But he still tried to have me killed," Damon said.

"That was the deal," Katherine nodded. "I could only save one of you."

"And you chose Stefan . . ." Damon sighed.

It was obvious by her face that she had. Angel couldn't help the sudden jealous feeling that was grating inside of him.

"Of course you did," Damon's hurt was as obvious as Katherine's lack of guilt.

"You wanted the truth, Damon. Would you rather I lie?" Katherine said.

Damon just sighed, turning around and leaving the room.

Angel and Katherine were left standing in the living room. Angel didn't really know what to say to her right now. He had no right to her – he never had. They were two completely different people than they had been in life. He hated the vampire she'd become – manipulative, maniacle, selfish, bloodthirsty. He hated that she wasn't the sweet girl he'd met in the market. He hated that there were two men – both vampires – that were in love with her.

Right now he just wanted to shove her against the wall – whether to kill her or claim her as his he wasn't sure.

"Gah . . ." She hissed, falling back on the couch. She completely oblivious to his thoughts. She glanced at him. "You wanna grab me another blood bag? I hate being stabbed . . ."

With a sigh Angel blurred to the basement and back, returning with a bag of blood. Katherine drank this one just as fast as she had the other one.

Damon walked past the door with a jacket on.

"Where are you going?" Katherine asked.

"Luka Martin's dead. His dad is going after Elena," Damon said.

She put down the blood bag and reached out. Angel grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "We're coming with you."

"No you're not," Damon told her.

With a blur, Katherine was right in front of him. "Wait." She put her hand on his chest.

"I don't need your help," He said then turned to Angel. "Or yours. And I don't want it."

"I know what we can do, Damon," She said. "You have to let me do it."

"Do what?" Angel stood next to them.

"Elena looks like me, remember?" Katherine said. "Angel, you bring Elena here and Damon, Stefan, and I will draw the witch to her house where I'll kill him."

"I'll take Elena. Or Stefan will," Damon said.

"No," Katherine shook her head. "If you both are with me he'll think I'm Elena. He doesn't know about Angel.

Damon rolled his eyes, pulling out his phone. "Stefan, we have a plan . . ."

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Fifteen minutes later Angel and Elena drove back to the Boarding House from the Gill in Angel's car. They were both silent . . . until Elena broke the silence.

"How did you guys convince her to do this?"

Angel looked over, "We didn't. It was actually her idea."

"That's not good," Elena sighed

"No. That's not good at all," Angel said. Everything Angel had seen in Katherine so far didn't give any indication that she cared about Elena at all. So . . . to come up with this plan to save Elena was completely out of character for her. Angel intended to get to the bottom of her behavior.

"What was she like?" Elena said.

Angel turned his head. "What?"

"Katherine," Elena said. "What was she like when you knew her?"

Angel let out an unneeded breath. "I only knew her for a day."

"But what was she like?" Elena pressed. "Was she how she is now?"

"No," Angel shook his head. "Nothing like that. She was just a girl. And I was just a boy."

Elena nodded, sighing. She sunk back in her seat, staring out the window.

"For what it's worth, I know you don't trust me yet. You don't know me," Angel said. "And I don't know you. What I do know . . . we're family however far apart. You are descended form me. I want to help you . . . and not because you look like Katherine."

"So . . . why?" Elena said.

Angel didn't know how to explain it to her. Should he tell her about Connor? No . . . not yet. Too many questions. Truthfully, didn't know why himself.

"You didn't know, right?" Elena said. "About your and Katherine's baby. You didn't know."

"I didn't," Angel nodded. "I just found out a few days ago."

"Maybe . . ." Elena said. "Maybe you're helping me because you weren't there for your daughter."

Angel sighed. He supposed in a way she wasn't wrong. He'd failed with Connor and he'd just found out about a child he'd never known about and literally missed her whole life.

"You're right. I don't trust you," Elena said. "But . . . I believe you'll help."

They pulled up in front of the Boarding House and got out. Once inside Elena sat on the couch, reading a novel of some kind. Angel packed back and forth around the room.

Fifteen minutes later a cell phone rang and Elena pulled it out of her pocket and answered it. Angel could hear both side of the conversation.

"Elena?" It was Stefan.

"Yeah, we're at the Boarding House," Elena said.

"It's done. Jonas is dead," Stefan said. "It worked."

"Okay, we're on our way," Elena said. "I love you, Stefan."

"I love you, too," Stefan said.

Elena hung up the phone. "We can go back now."

Angel nodded and the two left. Five minutes later they pulled up in front of Elena's house. Elena got out and went insde. Angel followed closely behind, hovering in the doorstep on the porch. The door was open.

Elena stopped just inside the house and turned to the door. "Oh, yeah. I forgot."

"It's okay, you don't have to invite me in." Angel said.

"Come in," Elena told him.

He stepped in, closing the door behind him. Damon hovered in the room with Angel and Elena. Stefan and Katherine walked down the stairs.

"It's taken care of," Stefan said.

Katherine pulled Elena's necklace from her neck. "Guess you'll be wanting this back." Elena took the necklace, sending icy glares at Katherine. "Your pretty little outfit'll need a good dry clean though."

Elena's lips pursed and she turned to Stefan. "You'll need to get her out of here before Jenna gets home." Stefan nodded.

The anger on each of their faces was identical. Damon and Stefan were glaring at Katherine as well.

"Is that all you have to say to me?" Katherine said.

"This doesn't change the way I feel about you," Elena told her.

"I don't much like you either if we're going to be open," Katherine said. "And frankly, I'd be happy to see you dead but if we're gonna try and take on Klaus we kinda need you to be alive. So . . . I'm not a threat to you, Elena." She looked around at the three men. "If any of you are going to believe anything, believe that. Just because you're blood doesn't mean I give a damn about you."

The mental daggers Elena was sending at Katherine were becoming intense and Angel wouldn't be surprised if it escalated to real daggers soon.

He heard a noise on the porch outside. "Someone's here." He told the others.

"Katherine . . ." Stefan warned, pulling on her arm. The two women were still staring at each other. The door was beginning to open. Stefan's eyes widened. Elena blinked and hers widened as well.

"We need to go," Damon grabbed hold of Katherine's other arm. Katherine shook them both off, rolling her eyes.

Angel stepped forward, grabbing her and speeding them both out the back door and back to the Boarding House.

"Get off of me!" Katherine shook him off when they were back inside the Boarding House.

"What is your problem?" Angel blew up at her. "Is your humanity that far gone?"

"What do you care?" Katherine kicked off Elena's converse tennis shoes in disgust and discarded them in the middle of the room.

"She's a part of you and she's a part of me," Angel said. "And she's the only family you have left."

"In case you didn't get the memo, my family was murdered over 500 years ago," Katherine snapped. She started up the stairs but he followed her.

"We had a daughter, Katerina," His Irish accent momentarily slipped in. "Elena's part of her."

Katherine stopped on the stairs, turning around. He was two steps behind her. "No. I had a daughter and she was taken away from me."

He hadn't known that. Actually, he hadn't thought about how their daughter had survived when Katherine's entire family had been killed.

"I'm guessing you didn't know that," She said. "I bet there's a lot about me you don't know. Like . . . how my parents disowned me when they found out I was pregnant."

Angel was speechless.

"You certainly must remember the way things were back then. Get pregnant out of wedlock and you're branded a whore," Katherine spat. "Barely twenty-four fucking hours after I saw my daughter for the first and last time they threw me out. Left me to my own devices. And you know what my first thought was? Huh?"

Angel really didn't.

"That I had to get to Ireland," Her words spat out like venom from a snake. "If I just get to Galway, everything will be okay." She shook her head and turned around, climbing the stairs. "Never made it. Klaus found me . . . or rather I found him. He made me forget about you and, though he didn't know it, our daughter."

Angel continued to follow her down the hall. He was going to push her until she pushed back. She went into a room and slammed the door behind her. Angel kicked the door off its hinges and barreled in the room after her.

"Get out!" She shouted.

"No," Angel shook his head. "I'm not leaving until I see that girl I met in the market."

"She's dead," Katherine spoke bitterly.

"I don't believe that," Angel said. "Buried, maybe. Lost, probably. Not dead."

"What is it that you're trying to do?" Katherine studied him. "Are you trying to get me to remember who I was? Maybe cry on your shoulder? Newsflash . . . I'll always remember. But I won't be crying on anyone's shoulder tonight. Or ever. You have a soul. I don't."

"Doesn't matter," Angel sighed. "I will find that girl in you. I will. I don't care if it takes a week or a year or eternity. I'll find her . . . and I'll never let her go."

He sighed and left the room, left the Boarding House. He'd leave her with those words, let them sink in. He would find her whether she wanted to be found or not.

To Be Continued . . .


	7. Chapter 6: Beneath The Surface

Author's Note: So here's the update. Chronologically we're up to "Know Thy Enemy" in the VDverse. Everything'll mostly be the same as it is on the show just with Angel added in. If you don't see a scene that was in the show (like... when Damon, Jeremy, and Bonnie went to boost her mojo) then assume it happened the way it did in the show. And we'll see more of how Angel's involved in this curse thing in later chapters. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter Six: Beneath The Surface

A few hours later back in his motel room, Angel found himself drawing. He hadn't drawn in years . . . probably since before he and his friends had taken over Wolfram & Hart. At first he hadn't really been drawing anything but soon a familiar face started taking shape and those enchanting brown eyes he couldn't stop thinking about were now staring at him from the paper. And it certainly wasn't a drawing of their descendant.

He'd meant what he said to her and it didn't matter how deep she was buried beneath the monster who'd taken over her body. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to do that yet . . . but he'd find a way.

The phone on the bedside table rang. Angel stared at it for a moment. Who would be calling him? Curious, he set down the pencil and pad of paper and picked up the phone. "Hello?" He said.

"Angel, is that you?"

He recognized the voice but he had to be sure. "Depends. Who's this and how did you find me?"

"Um . . . it's Elena and . . . there's only one motel in Mystic Falls."

"Oh," Angel said. "This is really Elena?"

"Yes," She said right away. He could hear her heartbeat through the phone. "Look, the reason I called . . . Isobel's back and town and . . ."

"All hands on deck, huh?" Angel guessed.

"I just . . . I thought you should know," She said. "I don't know what she's up to or why she's here . . . except to make my life miserable . . ."

"Did she attack you?" Angel looked at the time. There was only about an hour left until sunrise – plenty of time to rush over there.

"No . . . she can't get in the house but she freaked my aunt out and now she won't talk to me and Stefan's not answering his phone so he must be out hunting and . . ."

"Hey, calm down," Angel said. "You're safe in the house. Just the two of you stay in the house, okay?"

"Okay . . ." Angel heard her sniffle.

"Do you want me to come over until you get a hold of Stefan?" Angel said.

"Um . . . no, that's okay. I'll just keep calling Stefan. As long as Isobel doesn't get invited in we'll be okay. I don't think Jenna'll be coming out of her room anytime soon anyway." Elena sighed.

"Only if you're sure," Angel said.

"Yeah, I am . . . it's almost sunrise anyway." Elena said. "Hey . . . you don't have a ring, do you? Maybe my friend Bonnie could make you one."

Angel thought about the Gem of Amara and how he'd crushed it and why. "We'll see . . ."

"Okay, well . . . thanks for helping me calm down. Things have just been really stressful lately." Elena said.

"Anytime," Angel said. He hesistated. "You can trust me. I don't have any intention of doing anything but help you and your friends." He cleared his throat. "And I know that she may not seem it, but Katherine cares about you."

"I can't trust Katherine," Elena's voice suddenly became tense. "She's done too much to the people that I love."

"I know," Angel said. "But has she ever actually hurt you personally?"

"If you mean making me break up with my boyfriend?" Elena's voice was bitter.

Angel sighed. Sometimes he forgot how young other people actually were compared to him. "I meant physically."

Elena was quiet for a moment. "Well . . . not to long ago she had a witch link us when she knew Stefan and Damon were going to attack and try to kill her. I could have bled out . . ."

"But did you?" Angel asked her.

"No . . . but only because Bonnie cast a spell to take away the pain and speed the healing." Elena said. "Then again she probably knew Bonnie would do that . . ."

He'd figured it would be hard for Elena to accept that her look-a-like ancestor could feel anything for anyone other than herself. He now knew he'd have to prove it to everyone else as much as Katerina herself that the girl he'd met so long ago was still there.

"But still . .. she's only letting me live because of the sacrifice. Once that's all over she'd snap my neck in a second." Elena said. Their phones made a noise. "I think that's Stefan on the other line. He must be done hunting. Thanks again, Angel."

"Anytime," He said, ending the call. It amazed him how comfortable Elena was with everything vampire. Then again in his relationship with Buffy she'd been more comfortable with it than he had. Though Buffy was the Slayer . . .

He wondered if he should tell Elena and the others about his past. Should he tell them that he knew where to find a hundred or more slayers plus a witch, a Key, watchers, and another vampire to help? Then again that could make everything even more complicated than it already was. He though about all the different personalities in both the groups . . . most of them being controlling and stubborn.

He had no doubt that Buffy and Co. would want to save Elena and prevent the ancient curse from being broken . . . he just didn't think they'd be willing to work with impulsive vampires who didn't have souls. He himself had seen firsthand how much Stefan and even Damon cared for Elena and their willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the task of protecting Elena and the ones she called family . . . but they'd killed those witches without even blinking. He definitely knew especially Willow would have a problem with that.

He decided then that there was no reason unless absolutely necessary to include the self-proclaimed 'scooby gang'. Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak.

He stood, going over to the small refrigerator in the even smaller kitchen and grabbed the container of pig's blood he'd picked up at the butcher's. He settled into the armchair in the room with the animal blood, a pencil, and his sketch pad.

He found himself drawing Katerina again, a sketch of her innocent sleeping form in the same outfit she'd had on when they met.

Hours later he awoke when the door burst open. Instantly on alert, he shot up to identify the intruder . . . or rather intruders. It was Damon, Stefan, and a short, dark-skinned girl who looked about Elena's age. All of them had worried looks and a tension filled the room. He backed up, avoiding the sunlight that now flooded half the room.

"Elena's missing," Damon blurted.

"Isobel and Katherine took her," Stefan said.

"Where?" Angel said.

"We don't know," Stefan said. "We need you to help track them down."

"It's daylight . . ." Angel said.

The dark-skinned girl in between the vampires stepped forward, holding out a silver ring with a large blue stone similar to Damon and Stefan's. "I don't trust you . . . but we need to you find Elena." Angel figured she was Elena's witch friend Bonnie. She set the ring down on the table next Angel right in the sun's rays. She closed her eyes and started chanting under her breath. She opened her eyes, picked up the ring, and tossed it to him. "Let's go." She said.

Angel slid the ring on his pointer finger and without thinking grabbed his keys, put on his shoes, and followed the three out of the room.

The sun nearly blinded him after over 500 years of shadows but he ignored it. They had to get to Elena. Bonnie got in Damon's blue chevy. Stefan hopped in the passenger seat of Angel's black GTX. As they drove and Angel followed Damon's car, Stefan explained what was giong on:

Stefan and Elena were at a town charity event and Isobel and Katherine used John as a decoy. Katherine took Elena's place and Isobel took off with Elena. Also . . . they had the moonstone.

"We checked where Isobel is staying and no one's there." Steafn said.

"Do you know where Isobel would take her?" Angel asked as he continued to follow Damon's car.

Stefan sighed. "We think to Klaus . . . but we don't know. Who knows what's Isobel's told him already."

"We'll find her," Angel could tell how distressed the younger vampire was. "What about Katherine? Where is she?"

"She disappeared," Stefan told him.

Something in the tone of his voice didn't leave much chance of her coming back.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Meanwhile Elena started to awaken, finding herslef laying down in the way back of a vehicle. What had happened? Where was Stefan? Her head was pounding . . .

Then remembered the charity thing for her mother's foundation. There was a noise and everyone went to check it out . . . then Katherine appeared out of nowhere and knocked her out . . .

"I'm sorry, Katherine . . ." Elena frowned. Isobel? Why was she apologizing to Katherine? "He wanted you and he wanted the moonstone. . ." He? Elena's eyes widened. Klaus . . . Isobel's phone beeped as she shut it off.

The car stopped moving and Isobel got out, glancing over her shoulder. "Just because I can't compel you doesn't mean I won't force you to come with me."

Elena sighed. So much for pretending to be unconscious. She crawled out of the SUV, blinking in the harsh light. Isobel's 'minion' closed the door behind her, got in the car, and drove off. Elena looked down and saw that she was wearing different clothes than the dress she'd worn to the Lockwood's . . . and the prized vervain locket Stefan had given her months ago was gone. Thankfully she'd had a cup of vervain tea with her breakfast that morning.

"So is that what happened? You were compelled to betray Katherine?" Elena followed Isobel.

"Even if I was I couldn't tell you," Isobel sighed.

"So you lied. You did find Klaus, didn't you? He knows where I am now." Elena said. Why wasn't Isobel saying anything? "Are you taking me to him?" Elena sighed, waving her hands in frustration. Isobel stopped at a gravestone and bent down. "What is this?"

Isobel wiped away the leaves and Elena looked down. The stone held Isobel's name, the day she was born, and . . . the day she died. Isobel rose to her feet. "My parents, your grandparents, they put it here when it became clear the police weren't going to find my body." Elena just watched her, just listened. "They visit every week and they bring flowers even though there's no one buried here. The Isobel they knew is dead. So . . . maybe there's a part of me that is buried here. The human part. The part that I abandoned when I chose to become a vampire. The part that used to dream about the day that she would know her daughter."

Elena's eyes widened. "What?"

Isobel shrugged. "Instead you got to meet the other part. The part that would betray her own flesh and blood. It's a curse, Elena. Not the curse of the sun and the moon. It's a curse on the Petrovas. We love and lose our mothers and daughters."

Elena flinched, thinking of the mother she grew up with and the one she never got to know. She thought about when Katherine told her about never even getting to lay eyes on her daughter. She thought about watching her mother and Jenna when they lost their mother when Elena was nine.

A phone rang and Isobel took it out of her pocket and answered it. Elena turned around to catch her bearrings.

"Yes," Isobel was saying. A few moments later, "Let her go?" Elena turned around. "I'm done?" Isobel said. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. Isobel put the phone back in her pocket.

Elena watched her. "Who was that?"

"I'm so sorry, Elena. I was such a disappointment to you." Isobel said. Elena felt tears in the corner of her eyes. "Katherine really does care about you. She told me she was watching when you were born. She's watched over you your whole life."

Elena was speechless. Her brain wouldn't function.

"She never said it but I know she loves you like her own daughter. Even if you've won Stefan's heart." Isobel told her. "I know you've met Liam – Angel. Let him help you."

Before Elena could process anything, Isobel yanked the lapis lazuli necklace off her neck. Seconds later, Isobel burned, screaming, tears falling down her face.

Tears fell from Elena's own eyes as well as she sank to her knees. Her gaze fell on Isobel's phone, lain forgotten on the grass. She picked it up and dialed Stefan's number.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

They hadn't been driving long, Angel still following Damon's car, when a phone rang. Angel glanced over as Stefan pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it anxiously. Angel could hear crying and sniffling from the other side of the line.

"Elena?" Stefan said. "Where are you? Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I-I'm okay . . ." The shakiness in Elena's voice suggested differently. "I'm in a cemetery . . . um, I think I'm in Grove Hill . . ."

"We'll be there soon, okay? Just hold on. You're okay." Stefan said.

"Isobel's dead. She just killed herself right in front of me . . ."

"Breathe, Elena . . . it's okay." Stefan told her.

"He knows where I am, Stefan," Elena sounded to Angel as if she were hyperventilating. "K-Klaus knows where we are a-and I think he has Katherine and the moonstone." Angel almost lost control of the wheel when he'd heard that. Klaus has Katherine?

"All that matters is that you're okay," Stefan said. "I'm going to call Damon and then we'll be there in no time. Okay? I love you and I'll be there soon."

"Y-Yeah," Elena let out a deep breath. "I love you too, Stefan."

Stefan hung up and called Damon and soon they were headed to the only cemetery in Grove Hill. Elena was running toward them, latching on to Stefan as soon as he was out of Angel's car. As he got out, Angel couldn't help but notice the twinge of jealousy and envy on Damon's face as he watched his brother embrace his girlfriend. He sighed, remembering the way Xander used to look at Buffy when Angel was around her. He also remembered Spike whenever Drusilla would fawn over her sire.

Suddenly Elena's face withdrew from Stefan's neck. Her gaze fell on Angel. With the look on her face she almost seemed to be apoligizing to Angel. She was also gazing at the daylight ring on his finger, a half-smile gracing her lips.

Bonnie emerged from Damon's car and ran up to Elena, hugging her back as Elena was still held by Stefan. "We were so worried about you . . ." Bonnie and Elena were crying together.

Seeing that everything was okay, Angel gave Elena a slight nod and retreated to his car. It wasn't long before Bonnie got in the passenger seat and Stefan and Elena crawled in the backseat, arms around each other. Angel noticed Damon get in his own car and they all drove off.

When they got back to the Boarding House after dropping Bonnie off at her house, Elena retreated to the couch. She fiddled with the necklace that had the same blue stone as the daylight rings.

Elena's father/uncle lay still dead – though not permanently thanks to a magical ring – on the floor in the hallway. No one seemed to care or pay attention. Damon headed up the stairs, not saying anything to anyone. Angel hung back in the back of the room. Stefan walked up to Elena and sat on the arm of the recliner across from her.

"Is that Isobel's?" Stefan asked her of the necklace.

Elena took a deep breath, nodding. "I never thought I would feel bad about her being dead and yet . . ." Elena shrugged, trailing off.

"She was your mother," Stefan said. Elena nodded, sighing.

She looked around the room between the two vampires. "Why did they let me go?"

Stefan stood. "Anything that John told Isobel we have to assume Klaus knows, right?"

Elena nodded, "Yeah."

"So he knows that you're not going to turn yourself into a vampire. He knows that you have us keeping you safe."

"Isobel knew about Angel too," Elena said. Angel looked up, walking toward them. "And he knows I'm not gonna run."

"Which is why we need to take some precautions 'cause we got played." Damon came down the stairs and into the room. He held sheets of enlarged paper and set them on Elena's lap.

"What is this?" Elena picked up the papers. Angel continued deeper in the room.

"It's the deed to our house," Stefan told her. "It's in Zach's name. As soon as you sign it, it'll be in your name."

"You're giving me your house?" Elena's mouth dropped.

"Isobel had the right idea with the safe house. Just stay here until it's all over. That way you can control who gets invited in and who doesn't." Stefan said. Elena started shaking her head.

"Although I'll be super pissed if you don't invite me in." Damon smirked.

Elena rolled her eyes, sighing. The way they were acting like children remind him of Buffy and Spike . . . or Faith and Xander . . . or even Buffy and Dawn.

Down on the floor John gasped, alive once again. Damon sped forward and hoisted the human up against the wall by the neck, choking him. "I-I swear . . . I had no idea she was going to do that . . ." John panted. "I'm sorry."

Damon snarled, still holding him up.

John turned to face Elena, his eyes pleading. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Damon, let him go.." Elena sighed. Damon turned to face her, a look of 'are you kidding me' on his face. "He and I need to talk."

Damon rolled his eyes, dropping John. The human landed harshly on the ground. Stefan, Damon, and Angel left the room and into the kitchen. Ten minutes later when he heard the front door close, Angel went back into the living room.

Elena sat on the sofa, a blanket wrapped around her arms. When she saw him, her sad expression stayed the same. He walked in and sat across from her. She didn't move or speak or acknowledge his presence.

"Y-You were right," Elena's voice was scratchy with unshed tears when she finally did speak. "Isobel told me that Katherine's been watching over me literally my whole life."

"You believe her?" Angel asked.

"I do," Elena sniffled. "It was the last thing she said to me before she pulled this off." She twirled the daylight necklace in her hands. "She told me she believed that Katherine loved me like a daughter. A-And now Klaus has her . . ."

Angel didn't know what to say to console her. He wanted to tell her they'd get Katherine back and when they did Katherine wouldn't be such a bitch anymore. He knew it wasn't true though. Despite the fact that Katherine did care for Elena as her own flesh and blood . . . her humanity was still buried deep within her.

"Isobel told me to let you help me," Elena wrapped her arms tighter around herself. "Can I really trust you?"

"You can," Angel nodded. "Even if we didn't share the same blood, I've made it my personal mission to help those who need it. I've seen darker things than you can imagine. I've done darker things than you can comprehend. I've changed. I don't want any part of it. I've seen a better way to live."

"You still love her, don't you?" Elena observed.

He sighed, "I don't think I ever stopped but . . . first I have to find her and then find the girl buried beneath centuries of darkness."

"That doesn't sound easy," Elena let out a deep breath.

"I'm sure it's not," Angel said, "But I believe it can be done."

"Me too," Elena nodded. "Stefan used to be, well, yeah and Damon . . . I think he's on his way."

"It doesn't mean that I remotely trust her in any way . . . but I have to try." Angel said.

Elena leaned forward, gently resting her hand on top of his. "I'll help you in any way I can. I've lost so many members of my family already. I won't lose anymore."

Angel nodded.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

The first thing Katherine was aware of when she awoke was the brain-splitting pain in her head that had been the cause of her passing out. How the hell had that witch had enough power to knock her out? The latest Bennett witch had barely had any affect on her at all.

She groaned, turning her head and opening her eyes. The witch who'd knocked her out was chanting, standing over a man sitting in a chair and not facing her. She raised her head in alarm, her eyes on a large glass container filled with blood. There was another container but this one was empty. She leaned up on her elbows, looking around. The room wasn't familiar to her at all.

She then noticed another glass container suspended in the air by rope tied around a lamp. Attached to the opening of the container was a plastic tube that curled around the mystery man's feet and up both his arms. Katherine looked down to find that Elena's vervain necklace was gone.

The witch stopped chanting his spell and the man in the chair raised his head. The witch bowed to his knees as the man stood. Confused, Katherine slowly rose to her feet – she was still a bit dizzy from the witch's magic. The man turned . . .

"Alaric?" She said aloud. It was Isobel's husband. Why was he smiling at her? What the hell was going on? Not really caring and seeing an opening, she sped to and opened the door. But . . . she couldn't leave the room.

Goddamn witches and their seal spells . . .

Startled and slightly embarrased, she sighed and turned around. Alaric was walking toward her and was now right in front of her. Something about all this was off . . .

Alaric smiled at her. "Zdravey, Katerina . . ." His sudden accented voice sent shivers down her spine and she gulped. Her mind traved back to 1492 . . .

flashback  
"Katerina," Elijah spoke. "May I introduce to you, the Lord NiKlaus."

She caught her breath for a moment, remembering her manners. She curtsied, smiling. NiKlaus was still staring at her as he picked up her hand and kissed it. When his lips made contact with her skin it sent a spark shooting straight through her.

"NiKlaus is the name my father gave me," He spoke. "Please. Call me Klaus."

"I am very pleased to meet you, my Lord," Katerina told him. "Trevor has told me much about you."

"He has, has he?" Klaus smirked.

"Yes," She nodded. "I do hope you'll allow me to help you celebrate your birthday."

"I have not seen you around. From where have you come, Katerina," Klaus asked her.

She did not really want to tell him of her past . . . nor her future plans. She looked down. "I am new to town, my Lord."

"Katerina is from Bulgaria," Elijah told his brother.

"Zdravey, Katerina," Klaus spoke.

Katerina giggled, "Very good." She turned to Elijah and giggled again. Both the brothers were laughing with her . . . .  
end flashback

Back in the present, her eyes fell, stuck gazing at the ground. No . . . it couldn't be . . no . . .

Alaric lifted his arms and held either of her cheeks in his hands. He moved her head so she had to look at him. Her body went on alert and she uselessly shook her head to push him away.

"I have missed you . . ." Again with the bone-chilling accent. It was then that she knew.

Her voice trembled, "Klaus . . ."

A childish grin grew from ear to ear on Alaric's body . . . but Alaric wasn't there anymore. Her worst fears of over five hundred years had caught up with her. All of her running, hiding, faking her death . . . it had all been for nothing.

He'd found her.

"What, no greeting for your dear fiancé?" Alaric's voice taunted her. Of course he would still address the lies he'd compelled her to believe when she was human.

Her eyes immediately scanned the room for a weapon . . . any weapon . . .

"I'd stop you before you even begin to grab anything," Alaric/Klaus calmly stated. His hands tightened on her face, staring into her eyes. "You won't try to escape or attack." His pupils dialated.

"I won't escape or attack . . ." She cursed the fact that she hadn't ingested any vervain since before being stuck in the tomb. But . . . how could he compel her in Alaric's body?

"Good girl. And . . . you're going to answer all of my questions with the complete, honest truth. You won't lie and you won't hold anything back." He said.

Damnit . . . "I'll answer all your questions with the truth. No lies, no secrets."

"Wonderful," He smiled again. He dropped his hands and took one of hers in his. He led her deeper into the house and she sat on the couch. He sat beside her. "Now . . . let's begin. First things first . . . tell me everything about my doppelganger . . ."

Katherine wanted to scream but knew the consequences that would come of it. Instead, she started telling him everything she knew about Elena . . .

She couldn't help but be disturbed by the way he was practically salivating as she told him about her descendant.

To Be Continued . . .


	8. Chapter 7: Caught By the Devil

Chapter Seven: Caught By The Devil

The morning after Isobel's death and Katherine's disappearance Damon and Stefan had made quick work of putting their house in Elena's name. There was someone at the door by seven in the morning already to notarize the signing.

Angel, Stefan, and Damon stood outside on the porch while Elena signed the papers. Bonnie was inside at Elena's side as a witness.

Angel listened to Damon and Stefan talk about Bonnie's new, stronger magic courtesy of a site where over a hundred witches had died in the last few centuries.

"Elijah thought that could work and he's an Original," Stefan said. "So . . ."

"We just have to find him," Damon said of Klaus. "Can she do one of those witch tracking spells?"

"Nope . . . not without something that belongs to Klaus. Believe me, I already asked," Stefan told him.

Angel took this as his opening and dropped the leaf he'd been fiddling with. "Think he killed her?"

The brothers looked up at him. "Katherine?" Stefan said. "Probably."

"It's not like she didn't have it coming," Damon shrugged.

"Yeah," Angel sighed. They were probably right.

The three looked over as the front door opened. Elena and the notarizer stood in the doorway. She shook his hand and thanked him and he walked past the three vampires and left.

Angel, Stefan, and Damon hovered in the doorway. Elena smiled, looking very much like a little girl who'd been given the only key to the toy store. She opened the door wider, stepping aside, still smiling.

"I'm sorry . . . I completely forgot. Stefan, Angel . . . would you like to come in my house?" She giggled, her eyes on Stefan. Angel chuckled, noticing the look of annoyance on Damon's face as he walked into the Boarding House

"I would love to. Thank you," Stefan sauntered across the threshold, wrapping his arms around Elena's waist. She giggled again as he bent down to kiss her. They both looked out at Damon still on the porch.

The dark haired vampire sighed, "What are we, twelve?"

"One of us is," Elena countered.

Damon rolled his eyes. Stefan and Angel chuckled.

"If I let you in, do you promise to obey the owner of this house?" She said.

"No," Damon immediately said.

"Seriously, Damon. My way . . . you promised. I call the shots. No lies . . . no secret agendas. Remember?" Elena reminded him.

Damon sighed. "Yes, Elena." He winked. "Sure."

"Then please, come in." Elena smirked. Damon strolled in. Elena grinned as she closed the door behind him.

Stefan chuckled. "Shut up." Damon threw the words at him.

Bonnie walked in the room with Elena's jacket and backpack. Stefan turned. "Wait, where are you going?"

Elena put on her jacket as Bonnie adjusted her own backpack on her shoulder. "School." Elena shrugged.

"Huh?" Stefan said.

Damon turned. "No. We didn't create a safe house so you could leave."

"That's not a good idea," Angel agreed.

"Yeah guys, Klaus is out there. We know that," Stefan told her.

"Right," Elena nodded. "But where?" Damon shrugged. "No one knows. Look, I really appreciate what you guys are doing and I'll be able to sleep at night knowing that I'll be safe here. . . but I'm not going to be a prisoner."

Stefan raised his eyebrows, obviously torn between locking her up and giving her freedom.

Damon gave his best fake smile. "Your way, Elena." She nodded.

"Don't worry, I'm ready," Bonnie told them. "If he shows his face I can take him. I know how."

"The way I see it," Elena said. "The safest place that I can be is next to Bonnie." The two girls turned to leave.

Damon scoffed, huffing. Stefan just looked back and forth between Angel and his brother, shaking his head. Angel shrugged. "Wait, um . . . I'm coming . . ." Stefan followed the two girls out of the house.

When they were gone, Damon rolled his eyes. "Geez . . . sometimes I wonder if either of those girls have any common sense at all."

Angel chuckled.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Katherine groaned as she awoke, every muscle in her body aching. For a moment she couldn't remember where she was but then memories of the day before came back to her. She found herself sitting in a chair, her body unable to move.

"Good morning, Katerina . . ." Alaric's voice spoke Klaus's words. She looked up to find him dressed in Alaric's bland clothes.

He'd questioned her all night so he could blend in as Alaric without Damon or Stefan or Elena or anyone knowing who he really was. He made her tell him everything she'd done since fleeing from him in 1492, everything about Stefan and Damon and her time in Mystic Falls in 1864, everything about Elena and her family and friends, and everything that that had happened since she arrived again in Mystic Falls on Founder's Day.

He'd even made her tell him about Angel – the former Scourge of Europe. Everything she'd heard about him, everything she'd learned in the last few days, and every moment she'd had with him when they were human in 1489. He wasn't pleased that she'd kept Angel and their child a secret from him.

. . . hence the sore body. She didn't think she'd ever been beaten and tortured as much in her entire existence.

"You can either bid me a good morning or I can make you," Alaric/Klaus told her. "Either way, it makes no difference to me. But for you, one will be more painful than the other . . ."

Gulping, she spoke. Her voice was raw, "Good morning, Klaus." She felt weak.

"That's better," He smiled that creepy smile. He walked in front of her. "I see everything's healed. Guess I wasn't that rough on you." He sighed.

"Shouldn't you be getting to school? If Alaric doesn't show up for his classes it will be noticed."

Klaus sighed. "I suppose." He went to the closet and opened it. "Ugh . . . " He said as he looked through the over shirts. "Who is this guy . . . Safari Sam?" He took two out and held them up. "Okay . . . bad or badder?"

"The dark colors suit you better," She said.

"Thank you, honey," He said – his voice even sounding sincere (it made Katherine want to throw up) – as he threw the lighter one on Ric's bed. "Did you know, Katerina, that your Irish lover prefers black too?" Klaus smirked as he put the shirt on.

She sighed, wishing she could just disappear.

"Okay . .. pop quiz. The dagger and white oak ash are in the Salvatore's' possession?" Klaus said. "Correct?"

Katherine nodded. "The dagger was used to kill Elijah. You'll find him in the basement of the Salvatore house."

"Yeah, that dagger needs to stay exactly where it is," Klaus said. Katherine was surprised to hear this. "The last thing I need is a resurrected Elijah. That guy is a buzz kill." Katherine made a mental note to file that information away.

"And don't forget you're on the outs with your girlfriend, Jenna." Katherine reminded him.

"Right," Klaus sighed. "Elena's aunt . . . for all the lies about Isobel. What else?"

"That's it," Katherine told him.

Klaus reached forward and Katherine jumped as he stroked her hair. She'd expected another blow to the head. "So jumpy . . ."

"P-Please . . . just kill me." She hated the tremble in her voice. "I've told you everything that I know."

Klaus leaned forward, his hands next to hers on either side of the armrests. She gulped, her mind running through every possible way he could hurt her in this moment. "You see, I believe that you believe that. But what would you not. What would they be keeping from you. Anything?"

A hell of a lot, she thought to herself. Everything she'd told Klaus so far could fit in about a hundred multi-chapter encyclopedias, true, but what she didn't know could probably fit in an entire library.

His eyes dilated and she found herself staring into them, transfixed. "Tell me . . : He whispered, compelling her.

Instantly her mind and mouth obeyed. "They were trying to see if Bonnie could find a way to kill an Original without a dagger."

"Bonnie, the best friend?" Klaus said. He'd been particularly interested in the Bennet line, especially the most recent. She nodded. Klaus stood, crossing his arms. "I though you said she didn't have her powers anymore."

"S-She doesn't . . . or didn't. I don't know. You kidnapped me, remember? I'm kind of out of the loop." She said.

"Well, we'll have to get to the bottom of that. "Anything else?"

Again, her mind obeyed. "I-It seemed as if Elena was beginning to trust Liam – I mean Angel. A-And he wants me as the girl I once was."

"Intriguing," Klaus nodded, smirking. "He still cares for you . . . and your doppelganger will soon enough trust him as family. Interesting how easily you Petrova women trust strangers. Oh well, they will both die anyway." As she saw the gears turn while Klaus processed what she just told him, she felt something twitch painfully inside of her. But only a moment later it was gone and she'd already forgotten about it.

"Please just kill me, Klaus, and be done with it." Katherine begged. She couldn't take it anymore, imagining every second will be her last.

"And show you kindness?" His words drove a fear deep inside of her as she realized just how much pain was headed her way. "I've searched for you for five hundred years." His suddenly smile sent chills down her spine. "Your death is going to last at least half that long . . ." He pulled a pocket knife from his back pocket and drew the blade out. "Take this knife . ." He stared into her eyes, smiling. ". . . and stab yourself."

He calmly held out the knife. Her hand raised and took the knife. Her mind was screaming at her to drop the knife or stab Klaus but his compulsion overpowered her. She held the knife, the blade pointing down. She braced herself for the pain she knew was to come.

Clenching her mouth together tightly and her free hand grasping the armrest almost to the point of it breaking, she quickly brought the knife down and pierced the flesh of her right thigh. Pain shot down her leg to the tips of her toes and bounced right back up to the top of her head. Blood ran down her leg like water as the blade remained in her leg.

"Now take it out," Klaus's voice sounded as if he was talking to a naughty child and she just wanted to lung forward and rip his throat out – but she physically couldn't.

She pulled the blade out, feeling it start to instantly heal.

"Now while I'm gone, I want you to do that over and over and over again." He said. She wiped away the blood as the wound closed. She just stared at him. "And if you get bored, switch legs. And . . . imagine it's your Irish lover who's stabbing you."

She let out a deep breath, still determined to stay focused and find a way out as soon as possible. "Where are you going?"

He leaned over her again, "I'm going to lay eyes on my precious doppelganger . . ." Her blood boiled as she felt his breath so near her face. Her nose scrunched in disgust when he – as if he was a father going off to work – kissed her forehead. He looked at her again. "Now don't look so glum, Katerina. The fun is just beginning . . ." He walked away. "Again . . ."

Rage boiling inside her, Katherine plunged the blade into her leg once again – her mind forcing itself to see her Liam with the knife instead of her.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

While Damon was upstairs with his female "friend" Andie, Angel paced the Salvatore living room. He tried to drown out the sounds from upstairs as he thought about his Katerina.

Was she okay? Was she dead? Did she join Klaus? Would he ever see her again?

He wanted to go looking for her but he didn't know the town or where to even start looking. For all he knew she wasn't even in Mystic Falls anymore.

Frustrated and feeling useless, he picked up one of Elena's ancestor's journals and settled in the recliner to thumb through it.

Jonathan Gilbert spoke of meeting "Miss Katherine Pierce", an orphan who lost her family in a fire in Atlanta and her best friend Pearl who ran an apothecary in town. Jonathan spoke of being initially charmed by Katherine and her 'feminine wiles' but that he found Pearl mysterious and elegant and beautiful.

The more he read about the events of 1864, the more he found Katherine to be cruel and manipulative. Could she really have joined Klaus willingly in order to save her own life? Everyone else around him believed her to be selfish and solely driven by her own intentions. Was the girl he knew only briefly truly still in there or was she lost forever?

He thought about Faith and the journey she'd taken to get back from the murderer that she was. But . . . Faith still had a soul. Faith was still human. And . . . Faith hadn't killed for nearly five centuries.

He continued to read the journals, learning everything he could about these Originals. Hours past as he read the journals. At some point, Damon's "friend" left and the younger vampire joined him in reading.

An hour or so more passed and the front door burst open. Stefan, Bonnie, and Elena hurried in the house. Stefan had his arm around Elena's waist and Angel could immediately feel the fear coming off of her.

Damon just stared at them. "What the hell happened?"

"H-He was there," was all Elena said, but the tone in her voice made it very clear as to who she meant: Klaus.

Damon instantly jumped up. "What?"

"We didn't exactly see him . . . he compelled someone to give Elena a message . . . that he would be at the 60's dance tonight at school." Bonnie told them.

"So we go to the dance and find him," Damon said.

"Really?" Stefan said. "We don't even know what he looks like."

"Something tells me he's not gonna be sixteen and pimply," Damon shrugged.

"He could be anywhere at any time. He compelled someone at school." Stefan turned to the two girls. "Guess this isn't as safe as you guys thought, huh?" Elena sighed, obviously a bit shaken up.

Just then the front door opened and someone walked in – without an invitation. He closed the door behind him. "There you are." Damon said to the newcomer. Damon turned to Angel. "Angel, meet Alaric Saltzman. History teacher, vampire hunter, and Isobel's ex-husband. Ric, meet Angel. Vampire with a soul, and – oh, yeah – Katherine's sperm doner from way back when."

Angel ignored that last statement. Ric waved, chuckling slightly from Damon's joke. Angel nodded. There seemed to be something a bit off with the history teacher . . . but Angel just shook it off.

"Sorry I'm late," Alaric said.

"Hey, I need you to put me and Angel down as chaperones at the dance tonight. Klaus made his first move." Damon said. Alaric nodded.

"What's the plan when we find him?" Elena crossed her arms. "What's our plan of attack?"

"Me," Bonnie spoke up. "I'm the plan. He has no idea how much power I can channel. If you can find him, I can kill him."

"That's not gonna be that easy. He is a big badass vampire," Alaric said.

"Alaric has a point. I mean, what if he―" Damon blurred and speedily lunged at Bonnie – only to be propelled backwards across the room by only the wave of her hand. He crashed to the floor, landing on and shattering a wooden chair. Stefan and Elena smirked.

"Well, I was impressed," Stefan was still smirking. Elena was resisting the urge to giggle. Alaric . . . Angel couldn't quite read him but there was definitely something off about him. He didn't seem too happy that Bonnie could do that.

"It doesn't matter if he's an Original. I can take down anyone who comes at me." Bonnie walked over to her friend's side. "I can kill him, Elena. I know I can." Elena visibly relaxed, trusting her best friend completely.

"Okay . . . the dance is in a couple hours. I say we split up, get ready, and meet there," Stefan said.

"Sounds good," Damon shrugged. Everyone nodded. Alaric turned to leave, opening and closing the door behind him.

Angel didn't trust him and decided to follow the teacher. He turned to the others. "I have to get something from my motel room. I'll meet you guys there." They all just nodded, too busy contemplating the next few hours to notice.

Angel went out to his car and discreetly followed the teacher's silver jeep. They drove for a while until the jeep stopped. The teacher go out, a strange smirk on his face, and went into an apartment complex.

From across the street, Angel used his hearing to listening to what was going on in the building . . . . but it was blocked. Angel waited a few minutes before getting out of his car and making his way in the building. He followed Alaric's scent to the third floor. Just as he turned a corner he saw the teacher open a door and go in.

Angel tried to hear what was going on in the room and this time he could . . .

"Hello my sweet . . . did you have fun while I away?"

Angel waited for a reply from whoever "my sweet" was but there was nothing.

"Fine . . . don't answer me. You'll pay for that later." Alaric said. "That witch who you told me lost her powers . . . well she's got them back. In spades."

"I told you they were trying to find a way to get them back . . ."

Wait, Angel recognized that voice.

"You're right," Alaric said. "This witch is all juiced up and aiming to kill."

"That's terrible . . ."

Angel now knew he was right to distrust this teacher/vampire hunter. He had Katerina . . .

"We're going to have to kill her, Maddox," Alaric said.

Angel leaned in closer from out in the hall. He could hear two heartbeats . . . someone else was in there besides Alaric and Katherine.

"Do you think this Alaric guy has anything vintage?"

Angel raised an eyebrow. Why was Alaric talking in the third person? There was a rustling sound like drawers being opened.

"Crossbows, wooden bullets, and automatics . . ." Alaric said. There were more drawer noises. "Who is this guy again?"

"He's a local vampire hunter . . ." Katherine answered. Angel found the tone in her voice to be strange.

"Well, that explains the clothing," Alaric said. Angel was still trying to figure this out. This Alaric guy was talking about himself as if he were another person.

"All I could find . . . guy likes his bourbon," The second person – Maddox? – said. Angel heard footsteps.

"I knew there was something about this guy I li―" Alaric stopped talking. Angel heard a glass being set down on a wooden surface. "Katerina, did you have any visitors while I was away?"

"What? N-No . . ." Katherine stumbled on her words.

"There's someone out in the hall," Maddox said.

Angel tensed. How could they sense him? He turned, about to speed off, but his entire body froze. His legs moved of their own accord. The door opened and his legs stopped just outside the threshold.

"Well, well . . ." Alaric – who stood in the doorway – smirked. "You're smarter than those Salvatore brothers, I've give you that. Why don't you come in?"

His legs moved again, forcing him to walk in to the apartment. His eyes locked with a frightened Katherine's.

"Look, Katerina . . . your Irish lover has come to save you." Alaric chuckled and so did Maddox. Angel shifted his eyes and found himself staring at the teacher. "Grab a chair and sit next to Katerina. And then . . . don't move or speak until I tell you."

Angel's body moved on its own. He picked up a chair identical to the one Katherine was sitting on and walked it over by her. He put the chair down, sat down, and didn't move or speak.

"Very good," Alaric spoke.

Angel could fear Katherine's fear. Why was she so afraid of this teacher?

"Now . . . where was I?" Alaric sighed. "Oh yes. There's a high school dance and I'm going to need you to take out witch-bitch."

"If she has that much power she'll sense me coming a mile away," Ah, so this Maddox guy was a witch. "You have to do it."

"In this body? I'm a haggard history teacher." Okay . . . so this wasn't Alaric. So . . . who was he? "She could easily hurt me. Okay not me – Klaus me but . . . you know what I mean."

It all made sense . . . this was Klaus – in the history teacher's body.

"No witch could handle channeling that much power. It'll kill her. It would kill me." Maddox said. "You just have to make her use it."

"What do you mean, like . . . provoking her to death?" Alaric/Klaus said.

"It won't take long . . . just keep attacking her until it kills her. His body – Alaric's – will last longer than hers will."

"How? He's human," Klaus said.

"I can help in that department," Maddox told Klaus.

Klaus smiled, glancing over toward Angel and Katherine. They both looked down, not wanting to make it obvious they were listening. Klaus looked back up at Maddox. "Well then . . . I just have to change."

Angel glanced over at Katherine and just now noticed the blood on her legs and the pocket knife she held in her hands. His eyes caught hers again. Neither of them could move or speak. He tried to see what she was thinking or feeling through her eyes. She seemed genuinely scared and . . . pissed about being scared.

Soon enough Klaus was changed into a semblance of a 60's outfit. Maddox cast the protection spell on him and they were about to leave. During it all, Angel never stopped watching Katherine. She looked just like a scared little girl . . . so much different from the selfish and confident seductress she'd become in the last five hundred years.

"Okay, kids . . ." Klaus was talking to them now. "While we're gone don't try anything stupid or you'll get a time out. Hmm . . . why don't you chat? I'm sure you have loads to catch up on. But don't move." Klaus turned to leave but turned back around."Oh . . . and I'll be taking this." He snatched the pocketknife from Katherine's hand. And then . . . he and the witch were gone.

To Be Continued . . .

A.N. So . . . from now on the episodes are going to be vastly different from the show. Both Angel and Katherine are stuck in Alaric's apartment under Klaus's clutches. Elena and Stefan and Damon and the others won't know where Angel is. We'll find out what happened at the dance in the next chapter. And, Katherine and Angel have a nice, long, overdue chat.


	9. Chapter 8: Conversations With Undead People

Author's Note: I am so, so sorry for the lack of updates . . . this chapter's ordering kind of threw me a bit. I moved sections around over and over . . . and I'm still not entirely sure about it. Anyway, as the chapter title suggests, there is a lot of conversation. We haven't quite gotten to the point in the Vampire Diaries timeline (we're at 2.19 'Klaus') where much has changed yet but I figured at almost 5000 words I'd post this section. Oh, and the chapter title is reminiscent of a season 7 Buffy episode title. With that, I'll let you read on . . .

Chapter Eight: Conversations With Undead People

Neither of them said anything for a while after Klaus and his witch left. Then Angel broke the silence. "We thought you were dead."

"Yeah, well . . . if only," Katherine was bitter. "Hmm . . . didn't think you cared."

He sighed, "I told you I did. You weren't listening. You still aren't."

"Whatever," She sighed. "Great job on the 'rescue' by the way."

"At least I came," Angel said. "The others believe you're dead and don't particularly care to find out otherwise."

"Yeah, well . . . they're too busy protecting their precious Elena," Katherine said.

Angel remembered what Elena told him Isobel had said about Katherine caring about Elena. He also remembered Elena telling him she'd help him find Katherine and her humanity.

"He doesn't love you," Angel told her.

Her face scrunched, but she didn't say anything.

"Stefan," Angel said. "I've seen how he is with Elena and her with him."

Katherine's mouth straightened into an angry line. "But you do, right?" She scoffed. "You don't even know me."

"It's not like we'll get any older. Plenty of time to get reacquainted," Angel shrugged.

"Didn't I hear that you were in love with the Slayer? No wait, it was a werewolf." Katherine said.

"It's complicated," Angel sighed. He wondered exactly how much about him she knew.

"You know, I'd always considered finding you - not that I knew who you really were. From what I'd heard about you I thought you could be quite the partner in crime," Katherine said.

"Why do you have such a problem with Elena? Is it really because she has Stefan?" Angel pressed her. She let out a deep breath, ignoring him. He was beginning to find it annoying that she'd always bring up his past when he tried to push past her walls. "She's not that bad of a person."

"Can we not talk about Elena." Katherine sighed. She glanced at his hand. "Nice ring. Where'd you get it?"

"Elena's friend, Bonnie,"Angel answered smugly. Katherine rolled her eyes. Her smirked, satisfied that he was actually annoying her. "So . . . you're deathly afraid of this Klaus guy – even when he's not in his own body."

Katherine just stared at him. "Of course I am. You should be too. We all should be." The angry hardness in her face returned. "You keep telling me I should "care" about Elena . . . well this Klaus guy is going to drain her dry. Every single drop of blood. He'll kill Stefan and Damon and all her family just for the hell of it. Then he'll find everyone they've ever loved and go for them. You got friends? Old crush you're still partially hung up on? He'll find them too. Acquaintance you met once? They're dead too. Everyone."

"They'll find a way to stop him," Angel didn't doubt her words. He'd seen horrible things over the centuries. Hell, he'd done horrible things. However, she was out of the loop. She didn't know how much power Bonnie Bennett channeled.

"Maybe . . . and that's a long shot," Katherine nodded. "But this is a war. And there are casualties in war - on both sides. We've both lived long enough to know that." She turned her head, facing away from him.

"I'm sorry," Angel didn't know what else to say. He remembered the moment he'd found out that his son had been kidnaped by someone he trusted with his own life. He remembered later, staring across that empty field, while Holtz held his son next to that portal and threatened to snap his tiny neck if either Angel or the Wolfram & Hart operatives made any move. Then, he'd watched Holtz jump into that portal to the hell dimension Quor'tath. He'd lost his son in so many ways that day. He couldn't imagine having never gotten to hold Connor or watch him sleep or smile or cry. It was true that the child Katherine had lost was his too . . . but he hadn't been there or known about her.

Katherine was oddly quiet – no snide remarks or convincing threats. She wasn't even looking at him. Had he managed to crack some of her tough exterior?

"I think she had your eyes," Katherine finally spoke after several minutes, her head still facing away from him. He waited for her to continue. "I saw her once . . . I think. M-our dau . . ." She sighed. "I was never sure and I didn't dare seek her out or Klaus would have found out about her."

Angel wanted to riddle her with question after question but he was silent. She sniffled (but didn't think he'd noticed) and let out a deep breath.

"She was about the right age – fourteen, I think," Katherine said. "I passed by a town a few miles from where she'd been born. It was a market – I needed to hide in plain sight – and she was across the way by a fruit stand with a man maybe a couple of years older than her."

"Who was the man?" Angel asked.

Katherine finally turned to look at him but her expression was unreadable. "I think he may have been her husband and by the looks of it she was about to have a baby of her own. She looked happy."

Stunned by the progress he'd already made, Angel decided not to continue. If he pushed her too far she'd figure out what he was trying to do and he'd never get through at all. Instead he kept quiet, staring down at his shoes and thinking about what would happen when he finally broke down all of her barriers.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Angel and Katherine waited and waited in the history teacher's apartment for what seemed like ages. They didn't speak at all after their first conversation. Time just ticked away as they sat there in silence.

For the first time since he'd heard her voice in that tomb barely a week earlier it was finally dawning on him that she was actually real. He'd spent centuries thinking about her and trying to dull the pain of losing her and now . . . she was here.

He glanced over at her from the chair he was stuck in. He knew she was probably antsy and agitated and pissed about their current situation. However, she was calm and quiet and showed no signs at all.

He marveled at her strength and control and he wondered when the last time she'd had blood was. Had this Klaus given her any? Her skin was flush and her cheeks were pink enough so it couldn't have been too long ago.

"Stop." Katherine's voice was stern.

Angel looked up, meeting her eyes. Despite her cool exterior, her eyes now showed anger and irritation. "Stop what?" He said innocently.

"Quit staring at me like I'm some damsel in distress you need to save," The calmness returned but there as still a bit of an edge looming on the surface. "I'm not one of your helpless clients."

"You look pretty helpless to me." Angel retorted. Once again he wondered exactly what she knew about him and how she'd never figured out who he really was.

She scoffed, "Back at ya babe."

"Are you always this defensive?" Angel raised his eyebrow.

"Whatever," Katherine sighed. "Wonder if Klaus'll be able to kill Elena's little witch friend . . ."

"Don't change the subject," Angel said.

"I'm just curious," Katherine shrugged. "Klaus and his witches . . ."

"So who exactly is this Klaus guy? Why are you so afraid of him?" Angel wondered. He glanced at the dried blood dripping down her legs. Klaus had definitely attacked her somehow.

"He's an Original," Katherine answered, bored. "As in one of the Original vampires, one of the oldest known."

"But I'm a different kind of vampire than you are," Angel glanced over at the mirror across the room where only Katherine's reflection showed. The chair Angel was sitting in was in the mirror but Angel's reflection was nonexistent.

"Um . . . yeah. I don't really get it either. In over five-hundred years I've never come across a vampire like you. I mean, I have heard of you but I didn't know you or others were different." Katherine said.

"Yeah, same here. I've never met one like you or even an Original," Angel said. "By the way . . . I'm not who I was back then. That was Angelus . . . but he's gone – or buried, however you want to look at it. That's who I am without my soul."

"Hmm," Katherine said. "Stefan was a Ripper even with his soul . . . interesting. Maybe its different because he's a different kind of vampire." She stared at her hand intently, squinting her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Angel watched her watch her hand.

"Gah!" She let out an exasperated sigh. "Trying to move. Damn compulsion . . ."

"Can you compel other vampires?" He asked.

Katherine shook her head. "Just humans who aren't on vervain. Compelling vampires is an Orginal thing."

"You've heard of the Slayer," Angel observed, remembering their earlier conversation.

"Who hasn't," Katherine shrugged, "Especially the last decade or so. They're everywhere now . . . like annoying flies. Nope, not just the one Chosen One anymore. I steer clear as much as I can. Sure, I've killed a couple here or there in five hundred years but i'd rather keep to myself. Besides . . . I've done the whole 'one girl chosen for a special cause' thing." She scrunched her nose. "No thanks."

"What's so special about your bloodline?" Angel wondered.

"I don't really know the whole story . . . just mine and most of Elena's parts of it . . . but there's this curse and Petrova blood – the blood of the doppelgänger – is needed to break it. I'm the first doppelgänger – Elena's the second and most recent. There was apparently a Petrova over a thousand years ago who it started with."

"And she looks like you and Elena," Angel guessed.

"I suppose we look like her," Katherine nodded. "Gotta admit they did have good taste when they chose the first Petrova." She smirked and Angel rolled his eyes even though he agreed. He'd never met anyone as beautiful as that girl he met in the market that day – not even Darla or Buffy or Cordelia or Nina the blonde werewolf. Not that he'd ever give Katherine the satisfaction of knowing that, though. Well, maybe one day if he ever got through to her . . .

He sighed, hoping to change the subject. "Any chance we'll get blood any time soon?"

"Fat chance," Katherine rolled her eyes. "Klaus keeps it all for himself. Pig . . ."

Angel wondered if Klaus was going to let them desiccate into ash. Was that his plan? Or did he want them for something else?

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Elena stared in the mirror at her reflection in Stefan's bathroom – just as she'd done earlier in the night – as images of the night flashed through her mind. Her throat constricted and her heart pounded in her chest.

Arriving at the 60s dance with Stefan, the song Klaus dedicated to her, feeling every pair of eyes in the room on her and wondering if Klaus was among them. She remembered the way her entire body had threatened to fail on her when she'd found out that Bonnie could die if she killed Klaus and oh by the way Klaus was possessing Alaric's body. Then Bonnie had actually died right in front of her . . . . she'd held her best friend in her lap and almost lost it herself only to learn later that it had been a set up to make Klaus believe Bonnie to be dead and Damon had known about it . . .

She sniffled and it broke her from her thoughts. The images disappeared and all she was left with was her reflection. Hours earlier she'd stood in this exact spot putting on her makeup and earrings as Stefan's arms were loosely entwined around her waist and he kissed her neck and ears and he wouldn't let go. She'd had to redo her makeup twice and poked herself in the ear three times because every time he'd hit that certain place below her earlobe or at the base of her neck her entire body would shiver in pleasure.

Now . . . her makeup was ruined. Her tear ducts were dry from her constant sobs the last few hours and her eyes were puffy and red. Dried tears tracked a line through the blush and foundation and other powders caked on her face. Her skin felt clammy and sweaty and gross and her scalp was hurting from the tight, tight ponytail.

Bonnie was still alive but the damage was already done. She'd literally watched her best friend die and it hurt in places she didn't know she had. Seeing Bonnie on the computer in the video chat hadn't really done anything to calm her down. The thought of losing another person – especially her best friend – was too much, too much to handle. She'd already lost three parents in one short year.

A gentle hand rested on her shoulder and she leaned back, sighing. "Hey, how're you doing?" Elena turned, shaking her head. She bit her bottom lip, new tears filling her eyes. "Hey, hey, hey, come here." Stefan pulled her toward him in a firm hug. His shirt and suit jacket were still damp from her earlier tears. "It's okay. Bonnie's okay. You talked to her, remember? She's okay."

A sob escaped her lips and she heaved, trying to steady her breath. Stefan held her tighter, rubbing her back. Minutes later as her breath steadied, she nodded. "S-She's o-okay." She forced out of her mouth, her throat still dry and scratchy.

"Just remember that, okay? Everything's going to be okay," Stefan kissed the top of her head. "Why don't we get cleaned up and go to bed? You'll feel so much better in the morning and you can talk to Bonnie again. How does that sound?"

Elena nodded, letting out a deep breath. She cleared her throat, which felt much better now. "Stefan, where do you think Angel is? Why didn't he show up at the dance?"

He shrugged, sighing. "I don't know. Wherever he is, I'm sure he's okay. I'm sure he had a perfectly good reason for not being there." He stepped back, turning to start the shower.

She could tell that Stefan didn't want her to worry about it . . . but she did. She hadn't known Angel that long but she'd felt like she could trust him. She'd thought that after all the family she'd lost she was finally gaining a new one who didn't want her dead.

Elena was lethargic as she allowed Stefan to undress her. She was both physically and mentally exhausted from the day's events. And really, they hadn't gotten any closer to defeating Klaus and stopping the sacrifice. They were out of options. If Bonnie used too much magic at one time she would really die and Elena couldn't watch her best friend die again. Stefan and Damon weren't old enough or strong enough to take on Klaus and with Angel and Katherine missing . . .

Elena blinked and found that Stefan already had both of them undressed and in the shower and was already massaging shampoo into her sweat-soaked hair. She couldn't feel anything. Her body and mind had been through so much that she felt as if she were outside of her body. It was like she was just watching everything that was happening around her.

The next thing she knew she was laying on Stefan's bed under the covers, dressed in a pair of black sweats, a pair of black socks, and her purple night-shirt. Stefan was softly snoring beside her as they both lay on their sides, one of his hands resting on her hip above the blanket.

She sighed, her mind once again returning to the day's events. What were they going to do? How were they going to stop Klaus? Would Bonnie survive? Would she, Elena, die? Would everyone else be okay? Where was Angel? Would he be okay? Even Katherine invaded her thoughts. Isobel's words about Katherine echoed in her ears: 'She never said it but I know she loves you like her own daughter . . .'

She lay awake for most of the night, pondering all of these things. She worried about how they were going to win this fight. Then suddenly she remembered the deal she'd made with Elijah.

Wait . . . Elijah! The other Original vampire could help them. He was their only option at this point. But . . . . Stefan and especially Damon would never agree if she told them.

Elena turned her head, relieved to find that Stefan was in a deep sleep. She held her breath and gently and quickly lifted Stefan's hand off her hip. Also very quietly she pushed the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet touched the floor and she sat up. Stefan sighed in his sleep and she froze. When he turned on his other side facing away from her she sighed in relief.

Pushing the hair out of her face, she stood up. She walked soft on her feet out of the room, down the stairs, down the hall past Damon's room where she could hear Andie giggle, and down more stairs. Once she reached the main floor hall she stopped and froze.

Nobody was coming after her or calling for her.

She continued down more stairs to the basement where Elijah's body was. Once down in the cellar, she stared at the still, scorched, dirty corpse with the silver dagger in the chest. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realized what she was about to do.

It could go one of two ways: He could be angry that she daggered him and he could kill her or – and this was what she was hoping for – he could understand that they didn't know any better and hadn't known if he could be trusted.

She knelt down beside the body, her heart still pounding. Her hand closed around the hilt of the dagger. The tension was physically palpable in the room and she swallowed.

And . . . without any further hesitation she pulled the white oak ash soaked dagger out of Elijah's chest.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

After awhile, Angel and Katherine both heard footsteps and voices and laughter down the hall. Alaric/Klaus and his witch were back . . .

Angel and especially Katherine tensed, wondering what would happen now. Angel, too, wondered where the duo―or trio, if you thought about it―went. He hoped that Elena and her friends were okay.

"Well, hello," Klaus burst into the door with the witch behind him. The witch was carrying various shopping bags. "I see we were behaved. Did you two lovers have a chance to catch up properly?"

Neither Angel nor Katherine answered.

"Very well then," The Original smirked. "You both may move but—" The two tensed, waiting for him to finish. "Neither of you may leave this apartment until I tell you to. Also, you won't attack or kill anyone including yourself—especially me in whatever form I am in. Do I make myself clear?" The two were silent. "I said, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Klaus," Both Angel and Katherine spoke at the same time. Their bodies relaxed in the chairs and Katherine stretched her legs – the dried blood on her legs cracking.

"Oh, yes . . ." Alaric/Klaus scrunched his nose. "Katerina, would you please bathe yourself? Maddox here took the liberty of finding you some clothes. The stale blood on your legs is giving off an awful stench . . ."

Angel could feel the anger and embarrassment from Katherine but she didn't say a word about it. She merely took two of the five shopping bags from the male witch and disappeared behind one of the doors.

"All right then . . ." Alaric/Klaus sighed and turned to Angel. "What do you say we have some lunch? Maddox, pour us some blood would you please?" Maddox nodded, setting two of the bags in front of Angel. The last bag he set on the island in the kitchen and pulled out several blood bags – human blood.

Angel swallowed. "I don't drink human blood."

"Nonsense," Klaus smirked. "You will drink it or I will compel you to drink it."

Angel figured that if he did it voluntarily, he would have a little more control than Klaus compelling him.

Maddox poured the bags into three glasses and handed two of them to the male vampires. Angel tensed, gulping. He knew the blurry line he was straddling by drinking the human blood. Alaric/Klaus took the glass and gulped down a sip, licking his lips.

"Drink up, boy."

Angel let out a deep breath and picked up the glass. He lifted the glass toward his lips and felt the still semi-warm glide down his throat. His senses awakened and he immediately drained the glass dry.

"Hmm . . . so this is the one they call the 'Scourge of Europe'," Klaus mused.

Angel wiped his mouth on his sleeve, not answering the thousand-year-old vampire. His senses were in overdrive―he hadn't had blood for years since the showdown with Wolfram & Hart. He swallowed again, feeling a phantom beating of his undead heart.

"How do you like that?" Klaus smirked. "Not as good as from the source but an acceptable alternative nonetheless." Angel didn't answer. "I've heard a great many things about you. You take great artistry and pleasure in your kills. As an art man myself I do admire your work."

"I'm not that vampire anymore," Angel simply said.

"Right," Klaus sighed. "You have a "soul" now." The Orginal just laughed. "You see, my friend, the lust for the blood and the kill will always be there. You can pretend all you want, but no matter how much pig's blood you drink . . ." Klaus trailed off. "Ah, yes . . . Katerina, much better."

Katherine sulked back into the room dressed in a pair of tight, black leather pants, a blue form-fitting tank top, high-heeled black boots, and a black leather jacket. Her soft natural curls were back as well. Angel swallowed . . . damn she looked good.

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Elena watched from where she sat on the couch as Mrs. Lockwood walked out of the Lockwood house. Shortly after Elijah walked―or glided―into the room wearing one of the late Mr. Lockwood's suits.

"Better?" Elena sighed.

Elijah smoothed the collar. "Much. I find Richard Lockwood's taste in clothes very impressive. Makes me almost regret that I did not get the chance to meet him."

"You wouldn't have liked him," Elena told him. "One, he was a werewolf—even if he never activated it. Two—" Elena sighed. "Well, he was just an ass."

"Oh," Elijah simply said. He cleared his throat. "Am I to assume that the Martin witches are no longer with us?"

"I'm sorry, but they're dead." Elena apologized. Elijah nodded though Elena could tell he was disappointed. Truthfully, the deaths of Jonah and Luke Martin weighed heavily on her conscience every day. They weren't evil or working for Klaus. It was just their worry and determination to find Greta, their daughter and sister, that had blinded them.

"And Katerina?" Elijah said. "She would have been released from my compulsion when I died."  
Elena swallowed. "Klaus took her. We think she may be dead."

Elijah shook his head. "I doubt that. Klaus will want her to suffer for running five hundred years ago and lying about her offspring."

"Um, yeah . . . speaking of . . . One of my ancestors showed up after you . . ." Elena trailed off.

"Who?" Elijah said earnestly.

"He was the father of Katherine's child. He's a vampire now―but I guess he has a soul. Whatever that means." Something sparked in Elijah's eyes. "Yeah, his name's Angel but . . . well, he disappeared. He was supposed to help us at the dance with Klaus but we haven't seen him since yesterday."

Elijah seemed to be listening to her but . . . it was almost as he were somewhere else entirely.

"Elijah!" Elena spoke louder.

The Original blinked. "Sorry . . . just thinking about something." He cleared his throat. "Now, you said that Klaus is here . . . in your history teacher's body."

Elena nodded. "He attacked us at the 60's dance at the high school."

Elijah smirked. "He's trying to draw you out, see if you'll run like Katerina."

"But I won't," Elena shook her head. "I'm trying to protect everyone I care about."

"He'll use that against you," Elijah sighed.

"How . . . How do you know Klaus so well?" Elena said.

"There was a time I'd have done anything for him. I knew him well, almost better than myself. You see, Klaus is my brother." Elijah told her.

Elena's jaw dropped. "Klaus is your brother?"

Elijah nodded. "I am the third eldest of seven children."

"S-So your parents were human?" Elena stuttered.

"We all were," Elijah said. "Our father was a wealthy landowner in Eastern Europe. Our mother, though, had a secret. It wasn't known until we'd all become vampires. You see, she'd had an affair and a child—Klaus—was born of that affair. My father was outraged. He killed her lover and his family . . . not knowing he'd sparked a war between the species."

"Species . . ." Elena's eyes widened.

"My mother's lover was from a werewolf bloodline," Elijah explained.

"So . . . what does that make Klaus? Werewolf or vampire?" Elena felt her heart pound in her chest.

"He's both . . . a hybrid," Elijah told her. "The Orginals, as you know, can only be killed with a silver dagger dipped in the ash of the white oak tree. Werewolves heal when stabbed with silver so therefore the dagger will not work on Klaus."

"So you're saying Klaus can't be killed?" Elena gulped.

Elijah shook his head. "Any supernatural being may be killed by a servant of nature."

"A witch who can channel enough power . . ." Elena thought of Bonnie and cringed.

"The servants of nature cannot allow such an imbalance of power," Elijah said. "That is why they stripped him of his werewolf half so many centuries ago."

"But what does that have to do with the sun and moon curse?" Elena was confused.

Elijah paused. "There is no sun and moon curse," Elijah told her, explaining how Klaus and he had made the curse up a thousand years ago. Elena gulped. "The curse is one put on Klaus to keep his werewolf half dormant."

Elena was shocked, unsure of how to process this new information. "So . . . Klaus is here to . . ."

"That's right," Elijah nodded. "He wants to break the curse to release his werewolf half."

TVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATSTVDATS

Stefan awoke with the instant feeling that something was off. He reached for Elena on the bed beside him –

She wasn't there.

"Elena!" He shouted. Maybe she just went to the bathroom . . .

He tuned his ear, searching for any sign of her in the house . . . all he could hear was the sickening sounds of Andi giggling and moaning downstairs.

"Elena!" He called out again, jumping out of the bed. He grabbed his phone and ran down the stairs. "Elena!" Andi and Damon were kissing and Damon was sucking on Andi's neck as she moaned. "Hey, where's Elena?"

Damon pulled his head from Andi's neck, blood dripping from his fangs. "I don't know, Stefan. She's your girlfriend." The elder vampire smirked.

Stefan dialed Elena's number but it went straight to voicemail. He tried again . . . same thing. He left a message this time: "Hey, it's me . . . where are you? Call me!"

He glanced at Damon and Andi kissing again and shook his head in disgust. He turned to go back up to his room to get dressed . . . and noticed that the door to the basement was open. Without thinking he blurred down to where they had Elijah stored—

The Original was gone . . .

Damon appeared next to him. Stefan let out a sigh of failure. The room was empty.

"Oh no, she didn't . . ." Damon groaned.

She did . . . Elena let Elijah go and now she was missing . . . along with Katherine and Angel. Stefan swallowed, worry settling deep in his bones. Oh Elena, what have you done?

to be continued . . .

P.S. Just in case anyone was wondering, I've been toying with bringing in other characters from the Angel and/or Buffy worlds – but it won't be for quite a while. I'm just curious though who you all would like to see appear or not appear. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks so much for reading.


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